Can Dh Look Like Pimples?

[nama shivaya]

A dermatologist said that the pimples I've been getting scattered on my legs and breasts are folliculitis. He didn't ask what else has been going on in my life. A integrative health MD who I saw for my MS sx's said she thought it might be DH.

My question to you fine board folks is this: Can DH look just like a little pimple? I thought anything "herp" was clear fluid-filled, not pus filled.

Thanks in advance!

[Michi8]

A dermatologist said that the pimples I've been getting scattered on my legs and breasts are folliculitis. He didn't ask what else has been going on in my life. A integrative health MD who I saw for my MS sx's said she thought it might be DH.

My question to you fine board folks is this: Can DH look just like a little pimple? I thought anything "herp" was clear fluid-filled, not pus filled.

Thanks in advance!

I wonder that too. I've had progressively worse "acne" over the last few years. I never had problems with acne as a teenager or in my twenties. This "acne," though, is itchy and drives me nuts!

My biopsy for DH came back negative, however...unforunately the dermatologist took the biopsy from the wrong spot (biopsied the lesion itself instead of the normal skin near the lesion) so I don't know if it's simply a false negative.

Michelle

[SUZ42]

I wonder that too. I've had progressively worse "acne" over the last few years. I never had problems with acne as a teenager or in my twenties. This "acne," though, is itchy and drives me nuts!

Michelle

Same here. I've never had back acne, but now at 42 I do and it itches! Speaking of itching: A year ago when things got really bad for me, my inner ears started itching and it hasn't gone away. It drives me crazy. Does anyone know if this could be gluten related?

[Michi8]

Same here. I've never had back acne, but now at 42 I do and it itches! Speaking of itching: A year ago when things got really bad for me, my inner ears started itching and it hasn't gone away. It drives me crazy. Does anyone know if this could be gluten related?

My inner ears get itchy when I eat a food I'm allergic to (along with itchy lips and throat.)

Michelle

[cchhrriiss]

My inner eat was itchy for months, a little achy too! I went to the doc, and he said, it was to swollen to tell, so antibiotics ofcourse. I lost my hearing, so he did a biopsy, and it was YEAST! gross...he gave me an antifungal drop. Now it doesn't itch.

[Michi8]

A dermatologist said that the pimples I've been getting scattered on my legs and breasts are folliculitis. He didn't ask what else has been going on in my life. A integrative health MD who I saw for my MS sx's said she thought it might be DH.

My question to you fine board folks is this: Can DH look just like a little pimple? I thought anything "herp" was clear fluid-filled, not pus filled.

Thanks in advance!

So, I did an Google image search for folliculitis and found pictures that pretty much look exactly like the pictures I've seen of DH. I'd recommend doing a biopsy to confirm whether it's DH or not.

Michelle

[lovegrov]

Perhaps u should get a DH biopsy but my DH never resembled pimples or acne at all. Completely different.

richard

[jesse]

i dont know an answer though i am curous about the question aswell. if you hear anything please lmk.

peace,

jdog

[simplicity66]

Funny that i came across this one today....i have been "glutenized" twice in the past 2 weeks...once was self-inficted the other one is still a mystery to me.....when i am "glutenized" my skin feels like its crawling as if i have a bug on me....then i get the itchys...naturaly i scratch....then its more itchy and a burning sensation sets in....the more i itch the more it burns....then pimple like bumps appear with a ring around them that contain more pimples....some appear just in the ring formation ......they last for hours....after that has subsided the cramps and the big "D" sets in.....i was told that this was a way that the gluten leaves your body after being "glutenized" the "D" yes takes care of that....the pimples i am not sure of...i see my MD tomorrow and i will ask the question ...unfournately all marks have disappeared so theres no chance of a bio done.....will a blood test show yes or no for dermatitis herpetiformis??....i will find out my blood test results to see if i have Crohn's as well.....

[sharmom]

I was diagnosed with DH about six weeks ago. I had been dealing with the blisters for over 8 months, before I finally decided to go to a dermatologist to have it checked out. I got to the point that I knew exactly when they would start blistering up. I actually agree that they do look like pimples when I first start feeling a bump under my skin, but usually they would blister up usually twice the size within 24 hours and be filled with a clear liquid. I started out with them only on my elbows, knees and buttocks for around the first six months, then I started getting them on my nose and my ears. My dermatologist put me on Dapsone as well as a gluten free diet, the Dapsone cleared up everything with in two weeks. Unfortunatly, in the research that I have done on this. Even on Dapsone and a gluten free diet, I can still get this blisters for up to two years.

I hope this helps!

[azmom]

Same here. I've never had back acne, but now at 42 I do and it itches! Speaking of itching: A year ago when things got really bad for me, my inner ears started itching and it hasn't gone away. It drives me crazy. Does anyone know if this could be gluten related?

I do not have celiac (my husband and son do), but I do have a problem w/ inner ear itching. The ENT says it is dermatitis in my ears and gives me Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion USP 0.05% drops to use when they bother me. They work great. Before the drops, I actually tried to itch them so much that I made polyps form and had to have them surgically removed! Dr told me to stick nothing bigger than my elbow in my ear.

As for the back acne, my son (who is gluten-free) has Keratosis Pylaris all over his back and back of his arms. It is not itchy, but looks like pimples. I was told it is not gluten related, but it is pretty common and is genetic.

Hope some of this info might help! Good Luck!

[TBOX]

I agree with Sharmom's description. I had DH for about 8-10 years before being diagnosed last August. They started as itchy bumps on my knees and elbows, but I really didn't notice until it moved to my face. When they appeared on my face, I went to a dermatologist at one of the best medical centers in the country (US) and was told that I just had adult acne. I had never had acne. I was prescribed Retin-A, which burned and only seemed to aggravate things. So, I stopped using that. I tried hundreds of other facial products for years, trying to find something to help; of course, I was also eating a lot of gluten the whole time and didn't make the connection, sadly. I have an excellent doctor now, who identified them immediately last August. After seven months of gluten-free, my face, knees, and elbows are healed. That only took about 1-2 months for me.

When I was told I had acne, however, it was because after the blisters showed up on my face, if I itched them, they would open and then scab over. That definitely looked like acne. In order to get a good biopsy, my doctor explained that you have to have an active, unruptured blister. They need to test the fluid inside the blister. Also, I believe that they do not "spread" if you itch them, like poison ivy or other rashes.

By the way, when I had a DH rash (it still happens if I get glutened), the best "treatment" I've found after years of trial and error is to use a little alcohol wipe to dry the area and apply a thin layer of calamine lotion. It's super cheap and one bottle lasts a long time. I use the pink Caladryl.

Good luck!

[jesse]

just spreading some thoughts to people:

anyway, anyone who sees this should attempt a "no table salt or iodized salty food diet" for a few weeks. if you have the same lip/mouth area dh/acne then its worth doing. i have also changed my soap from the dial gel which you need the sponge thingy to a bar of white ivory.

if you do this lmk how it works out for you, also kosher salt is okay, so if you do and want to go out to eat bring a little w/ you.

only the best,

jdog

[darlindeb25]

Before going gluten-free, my sister and I both had terrible bouts of itching on our legs. Was very weird, it happened about the same time everyday and you got so you dreaded that time of day. When my daughter was 2 1/2 she was in a full body cast for hip problems and my legs broke out in a terrible, itchy rash. First the doc said it was poison ivy, then he said it was an allergic reaction to her cast. This would come and go for me, never getting terrible as some of you have mentioned. After going gluten-free, I had one major incident when both elbows had the identical rash--I used peppermint lotion which helped tremendously and also, which I can no longer find anywhere. I was told at the time that it was DH, but never doctor diagnosed for it.

[Michi8]

Before going gluten-free, my sister and I both had terrible bouts of itching on our legs. Was very weird, it happened about the same time everyday and you got so you dreaded that time of day. When my daughter was 2 1/2 she was in a full body cast for hip problems and my legs broke out in a terrible, itchy rash. First the doc said it was poison ivy, then he said it was an allergic reaction to her cast. This would come and go for me, never getting terrible as some of you have mentioned. After going gluten-free, I had one major incident when both elbows had the identical rash--I used peppermint lotion which helped tremendously and also, which I can no longer find anywhere. I was told at the time that it was DH, but never doctor diagnosed for it.

You can get the pharmacy to make up a cream with menthol (usually in Glaxal Base). My daughter had a prescription written up for it, but I don't know if it needs a prescription.

Michelle

[UNCHeel]

I have white bumps on my face and had heard on other posts that yeast overgrowth is a problem for Celiacs. So I asked a holistic Dr online and this was the response. Not sure if it's realible but I'm taking the Garden of Life's supplement so I'll let you know if I have any "clearing."

To answer you Jean, Celiac disease is becoming more common because

intestinal

flora that usually protects us, is out of balance. Antibiotic use,

drinking

chlorinated water can kill friendly bacteria in our intestines. The

white

bumps may be a result of yeast overgrowth in the body or candidosis.

Yeast

is actually the food of the friendly bacteria that lives inside us.

Once the

bacteria is killed, yeast tends to overgrowth in the intestines as well

as

in other places in the body, and it can show on the skin. Candida,

where

visible has indeed a white appearance. It would be good to consult a

naturopathic doctor and approach this from inside out. Since probiotics

(pills with cultures of friendly bacteria that help restore natural

balance)

are in the natural supplement range they will not be readily prescribed

at

your regular checkup. Severe cases of candidosis respond well to a

patented

Japanese blend called Threelac. I suggest for sure consulting a doctor

or

naturopathic doctor since with advanced cases of Celiac, due to

thinning of

lining of intestines anything ingested can cause disturbances.

Probiotics

can also be used on skin directly by making a mask mixing plain yogurt

and

the powdered probiotic. Mask can be left on for at least 15 minutes,

two,

three times a week. Hope this helps!

Best Wishes,

Claudia