Toilet Paper And Paper Towels

[confused]

Ok i know some of said u have to check for gluten in them. But i thought all i had to do was not use the first and last piece that has glue. But is that not the case. Do i have to use ones that are gluten free completely. And if yes, what types. Right now im using angel soft toilet paper and bounty paper towels.

paula

[Lisa]

Toilet paper and paper towels are not issues regarding celiac.

[JennyC]

Most people say that you do not need to worry about paper products, but I figure as long as you're going to buy them you might as well buy them gluten free. Besides, to my son the paper rolls are occasionally used as telescopes and microphones! Here are gluten free products, according to the Clan Thompson software:

Paper Towels:

Viva

Bounty

Scott

Toilet Paper:

Charmin

Cottonelle

Facial Tissue:

Kleenex

Puffs

Napkins:

Vanity Fair

Zee

[RiceGuy]

As I understand it, the glue used to hold the paper to the cardboard tube is the only gluten issue.

[Lisa]

Please do a search here for "toilet"paper" and you will get some very extensive information.

[confused]

Thanks for everyones responses. I will do an search later on today. I just had the thought and asked without looking. I try to search before i ask an question knowing it probably has been asked before, unless it is about something that only has 3 letters, and it seems most of my thoughts are words with 3 letters lol

paula

[Lisa]

As I understand it, the glue used to hold the paper to the cardboard tube is the only gluten issue.

Long past there was a 17 page thread debating the fact that toilet paper had gluten. After contacting many companies and their response it was concluded that the "glue" that is used is modified corn starch and not gluten related.

The inside of the plastic bag containing the TP may be dusted with corn starch, also not gluten related.

[DebNC84]

Toilet paper and paper towels are not issues regarding celiac.

I know this is an old forum topic - but I'm newly into this.... I've been gluten free since June 07 - except for the occasional accidental "glutening"

I've been having a problem with a rash appearing around my mouth and nose - the culprit? I narrowed it down to my paper towels... occasionally I'll grab one blow my nose - and almost every day I use one atleast during a meal. May I add that I have Dermatitis Herpetiformus - on top of other celiac issues.

there may be one brand in particular that is causing the problem... but I don't know because honestly until now I've been randomly choosing my paper towels... unlike toilet paper, always buying Charmin Ultra. Now I guess I need to carry one of those little rolls of TP in my purse... this is getting deep for sure.

[seamaiden399]

I know this is an old forum topic - but I'm newly into this.... I've been gluten free since June 07 - except for the occasional accidental "glutening"

I've been having a problem with a rash appearing around my mouth and nose - the culprit? I narrowed it down to my paper towels... occasionally I'll grab one blow my nose - and almost every day I use one atleast during a meal. May I add that I have Dermatitis Herpetiformus - on top of other celiac issues.

there may be one brand in particular that is causing the problem... but I don't know because honestly until now I've been randomly choosing my paper towels... unlike toilet paper, always buying Charmin Ultra. Now I guess I need to carry one of those little rolls of TP in my purse... this is getting deep for sure.

Beyond a possible gluten issue (which I am not personally convinced of), paper towels are quite abrasive. They may also contain dyes that you could have an allergy to. Most doctors that I've spoken to suggest that DH is not a topical issue- but rather that ingestion of gluten results in a DH attack. However, if it seems that paper towels are aggravating your skin, you could try using cloth napkins (and soft tissues for blowing your nose, which is nicer for you anyway)... If you cover your microwaved food with a paper towel and are concerned about it, saran wrap is an alternative.

-Brenda

[Gemini]

Beyond a possible gluten issue (which I am not personally convinced of), paper towels are quite abrasive. They may also contain dyes that you could have an allergy to. Most doctors that I've spoken to suggest that DH is not a topical issue- but rather that ingestion of gluten results in a DH attack. However, if it seems that paper towels are aggravating your skin, you could try using cloth napkins (and soft tissues for blowing your nose, which is nicer for you anyway)... If you cover your microwaved food with a paper towel and are concerned about it, saran wrap is an alternative.

-Brenda

I'm glad someone else has taken the time to research what will actually cause a gluten reaction! Good post, Brenda, and you are 100% correct about DH being an internally caused reaction. If someone is having a problem with paper towels and TP, then they most likely would also have a topical allergy to something in the product. It's an autoimmune response from within and not caused by a topical interaction with an offending agent.

If there are any doubters, I would urge them to have their blood work repeated to see if any gluten is getting into their system at levels that would cause a problem. I do not use gluten-free make-up, except lipstick, and do not use any precautions with paper or topical products unless it would be ingested. So far, my blood work has been stellar so how better to convince yourself?

[Fiddle-Faddle]

There ARE people here with DH who have reacted to lotions and/or bath oils with wheat and oats in them.

I know doctors say that this is not possible. But an awful lot of us have heard doctors tell us that it was not possible for our symptoms to be caused by anything we ate. They were wrong, then, too. In fact, doctors can be wrong about all kinds of things. Just because they're doctors doesn't make them right.

Anecdotal evidence might not be compelling to the doctors, but it certainly means something to those of us who know what we react to.

Tiny amounts of INGESTED gluten don't show up in blood work. So tiny amounts of gluten in a lotion isn't going to show up in blood work, either. A lot of us here know better than to rely on blood work to tell us whether or not we've eaten gluten.

[Ryan M Glenn]

On 5/19/2007 at 9:54 AM, Lisa said:

Toilet paper and paper towels are not issues regarding celiac.

Actually wheat/gluten is used in the adhesive to bond the plies (2 ply, 3 ply) together. I can tell you that my fiance and I both have bad reactions in sensitive areas from using the wrong toilet paper. 

[Ryan M Glenn]

On 5/18/2007 at 9:02 PM, confused said:

Ok i know some of said u have to check for gluten in them. But i thought all i had to do was not use the first and last piece that has glue. But is that not the case. Do i have to use ones that are gluten free completely. And if yes, what types. Right now im using angel soft toilet paper and bounty paper towels.

 

paula

There is gluten contained in the adhesive that bonds the plies of toilet paper together with some brands. This means every square has it, and my fiance and I both have had bad reactions in sensitive areas from using those brands. 

[kareng]

Just now, Ryan M Glenn said:

Actually wheat/gluten is used in the adhesive to bond the plies (2 ply, 3 ply) together. I can tell you that my fiance and I both have bad reactions in sensitive areas from using the wrong toilet paper. 

Not likely.  Most all glue is actually not made from wheat.  I don't think the layers are actually glued.  Also, you have to eat the wheat to get a celiac reaction.  You could have some sort of topical allergy to it.

[Ryan M Glenn]

On 1/24/2008 at 6:59 AM, DebNC84 said:

 

I know this is an old forum topic - but I'm newly into this.... I've been gluten free since June 07 - except for the occasional accidental "glutening"

 

I've been having a problem with a rash appearing around my mouth and nose - the culprit? I narrowed it down to my paper towels... occasionally I'll grab one blow my nose - and almost every day I use one atleast during a meal. May I add that I have Dermatitis Herpetiformus - on top of other celiac issues.

 

there may be one brand in particular that is causing the problem... but I don't know because honestly until now I've been randomly choosing my paper towels... unlike toilet paper, always buying Charmin Ultra. Now I guess I need to carry one of those little rolls of TP in my purse... this is getting deep for sure.

I can assure you that topical use can cause problems. My fiance and I have had bad reactions in sensitive areas from using toilet paper brands that use wheat in their adhesive to bond the plies together. It's in every square of tp. We have also had skin reactions to shampoo and she has had reactions to lipstick. Some people may not be as sensitive as we are, but if I were you I would definitely not count out paper products. Fyi, we have yet to have had a problem with paper towels but we always buy the sane brand. 

[kareng]

1 minute ago, Ryan M Glenn said:

I can assure you that topical use can cause problems. My fiance and I have had bad reactions in sensitive areas from using toilet paper brands that use wheat in their adhesive to bond the plies together. It's in every square of tp. We have also had skin reactions to shampoo and she has had reactions to lipstick. Some people may not be as sensitive as we are, but if I were you I would definitely not count out paper products. Fyi, we have yet to have had a problem with paper towels but we always buy the sane brand. 

Celiac researchers tell us that touching gluten is not going to cause a Celiac reaction.  That assumes there is even any gluten to touch

 

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

"Gluten must be ingested to be cause for concern for someone with celiac disease."

 

 

[Ryan M Glenn]

4 minutes ago, kareng said:

Not likely.  Most all glue is actually not made from wheat.  I don't think the layers are actually glued.  Also, you have to eat the wheat to get a celiac reaction.  You could have some sort of topical allergy to it.

Charmin, for one, has gluten in the glue. We get skin reactions from tp, shampoo, and she has had reactions to lipstick that contained gluten. You can say what you want but when we avoid gluten and contamination in food we are healthy, when he use gluten products we have problems. If you look into the scientific/medical knowledge about gluten and gluten sensitivity you will see that it isn't understood yet by those communities. 

 

I saw it explained in a medical journal as thus: the stomach has an engine that breaks down gluten. If a test reveals excess of this engine then that person cannot properly break down gluten...which makes no logical sense if you stop and think about it. Excess of the engine should allow the person to digest excess amounts of gluten. 

 

So while I appreciate your input I can tell you gluten is bad for those of us with sensitivities. It's bad if ingested or pit onto the skin. I'm glad you don't experience it because it's not fun. 

[kareng]

Toilet papers layers are likely heat pressed or something like that.  A wheat based glue would get sticky when wet.  

[kareng]

1 minute ago, Ryan M Glenn said:

Charmin, for one, has gluten in the glue. We get skin reactions from tp, shampoo, and she has had reactions to lipstick that contained gluten. You can say what you want but when we avoid gluten and contamination in food we are healthy, when he use gluten products we have problems. If you look into the scientific/medical knowledge about gluten and gluten sensitivity you will see that it isn't understood yet by those communities. 

 

I saw it explained in a medical journal as thus: the stomach has an engine that breaks down gluten. If a test reveals excess of this engine then that person cannot properly break down gluten...which makes no logical sense if you stop and think about it. Excess of the engine should allow the person to digest excess amounts of gluten. 

 

So while I appreciate your input I can tell you gluten is bad for those of us with sensitivities. It's bad if ingested or pit onto the skin. I'm glad you don't experience it because it's not fun. 

Celiac has nothing to do with the ability to "digest" gluten.  It is an autoimmune response to gluten in the small intestines.  

Sometimes people have skin reactions to the dye/coloring chemicals or scent in TP.  But that is not a gluten reaction

[Ryan M Glenn]

5 minutes ago, kareng said:

Celiac researchers tell us that touching gluten is not going to cause a Celiac reaction.  That assumes there is even any gluten to touch

 

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

"Gluten must be ingested to be cause for concern for someone with celiac disease."

 

 

I've seen and heard that before too, but it gives no comfort to people who HAVE reactions when it's on the skin. Red pepper is spicy on the tongue, and rubbed on the skin. 

[kareng]

Just now, Ryan M Glenn said:

I've seen and heard that before too, but it gives no comfort to people who HAVE reactions when it's on the skin. Red pepper is spicy on the tongue, and rubbed on the skin. 

Right..... but that is completely different than Celiac disease

 

[kareng]

I just looked up some info.  It looks like a lot of tp is no longer layered.  Its just thicker.  So I went to look at my Charmin - its just 1 layer that is stamped with a "quilting"  

[Ryan M Glenn]

2 minutes ago, kareng said:

Right..... but that is completely different than Celiac disease

 

If I accept this premise then my question is: should I not be commenting on bad reactions to gluten exposure to the skin on this blog because you say it's not gluten? I'm trying to help people with things I know from experience that are often not talked about, and even sometimes suppressed 

[kareng]

5 minutes ago, Ryan M Glenn said:

If I accept this premise then my question is: should I not be commenting on bad reactions to gluten exposure to the skin on this blog because you say it's not gluten? I'm trying to help people with things I know from experience that are often not talked about, and even sometimes suppressed 

Right.  Of course.  but I just want to tell people that they do not need to fear gluten in mainstream toilet paper.  Perhaps use some logic and some scientific info when possible.  Perhaps help people to figure out what the real issue is.

 

I am also saying that I don't see any way there is gluten in Charmin.  Maybe you could contact the company and give us the response.  

 

I have been trying to find something to explain ow a 2 ply paper is made, but it appears they are just rolled up tightly together - no glue.

 

[cyclinglady]

2 hours ago, Ryan M Glenn said:

Charmin, for one, has gluten in the glue. We get skin reactions from tp, shampoo, and she has had reactions to lipstick that contained gluten. You can say what you want but when we avoid gluten and contamination in food we are healthy, when he use gluten products we have problems. If you look into the scientific/medical knowledge about gluten and gluten sensitivity you will see that it isn't understood yet by those communities. 

 

I saw it explained in a medical journal as thus: the stomach has an engine that breaks down gluten. If a test reveals excess of this engine then that person cannot properly break down gluten...which makes no logical sense if you stop and think about it. Excess of the engine should allow the person to digest excess amounts of gluten. 

 

So while I appreciate your input I can tell you gluten is bad for those of us with sensitivities. It's bad if ingested or pit onto the skin. I'm glad you don't experience it because it's not fun. 

If you are going to cite a medical journal, you should provide the link.  Karen is right.  Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease triggered by ingested (eating) gluten.  The autoimmune reaction (body attacking the small intestine) can last for days, weeks or months after a gluten exposure.

Open Original Shared Link

It sounds like you are experiencing a topical allergic reaction from a chemical in the product.  I know there was a documented issue a few years ago with a preservative found in baby wipes.  This same preservative is still found in shampoos, etc.  It affects people when it is not rinsed off (which no one rinses a baby's bottom after using a baby wipe.  It is one reason doctors recommend using old -fashioned wash cloths and water on at least newborns.  

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