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Itchy Skin After Physical Contact With Gluten

Chiron

By Chiron
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Chiron Apprentice
Chiron
Posted

I work in a deli but am careful only to prepare vegetable based salads even though much of what we serve includes pasta salad and other gluteny treats. Someone called out sick tonight and I had to step in and help out at the retail counter serving the salads we make. Though I tried to be careful, you can't on a high volume night- which means my forearms had lots of exposure.

I have never had outward signs of DH meaning blisters etc, but I have noticed alot of itching at work compared to days off. Tonight I feel like my arms and anywhere I touched are on fire. It is 3:00 AM here and I have not gotten any sleep b/c of it.

Can this be DH even with out blisters or rash?

Sleepless in NC

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Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

It sounds like you may have an allergy to wheat and/or gluten as well as a gluten intolerance. I get the same problem, but not everybody with gluten intolerance/celiac disease has it.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

[quote

I have never had outward signs of DH meaning blisters etc, but I have noticed alot of itching at work compared to days off. Tonight I feel like my arms and anywhere I touched are on fire. It is 3:00 AM here and I have not gotten any sleep b/c of it.

Can this be DH even with out blisters or rash?

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

I join the ranks of those who cannot have gluten on my skin. I wasn't like this as a child, but as the years go by, I get worse and worse. The longer I am gluten free, going on 8 yrs now, the more reactive I become. I pay close attention to any lotions, soaps, etc, watching for grains of any kind now.

Another poster had asked St. Ives about their H20 body soap and received an email from St. Ives stating the soap is gluten free, yet when I used it, it burned my skin on contact. If not gluten, then what is in it? It has ingredients with 25 letters in them, how do we know what that is? I stick with softsoap, I have never had a reaction to it. Oats in a product make me burn, corn and soy too.

I always say, better safe, than sorry!

trcn Apprentice
trcn
Posted
I join the ranks of those who cannot have gluten on my skin. I wasn't like this as a child, but as the years go by, I get worse and worse. The longer I am gluten free, going on 8 yrs now, the more reactive I become. I pay close attention to any lotions, soaps, etc, watching for grains of any kind now.

Another poster had asked St. Ives about their H20 body soap and received an email from St. Ives stating the soap is gluten free, yet when I used it, it burned my skin on contact. If not gluten, then what is in it? It has ingredients with 25 letters in them, how do we know what that is? I stick with softsoap, I have never had a reaction to it. Oats in a product make me burn, corn and soy too.

I always say, better safe, than sorry!

Ohmygosh, I'm the one who posted re: St Ives. I haven't gotten a chance to use it since getting that response from the company. Now I'm not so sure! I think I'll google each ingredient...or just pitch it! Glad I read your note here...

Tracy

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

It may not be DH, although you are obviously reacting. Also, with DH, a lot of people feel the itching and burning BEFORE the bumps show up, I'm one of them. Sometimes up to eight hours before for me. So if in a day or two you don't get little bumps or blisters, then you are probably having some other kind of reaction. I think you're kind of stuck with either suffering, or getting a different job. That and eventually, touching all that gluten, its going to get in your mouth at some point. After a few years gluten free it's easier to keep tabs on yourself and where you put your hands, but that's not something you should expect of yourself being this new at it.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

I get itchy when my skin is exposed to gluten. I get no rash afterwards and generally no other problems, just itchy. I always just kind of figured it was in my head. Maybe not though if others experience the same symptom.

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trcn Apprentice
trcn
Posted
I get itchy when my skin is exposed to gluten. I get no rash afterwards and generally no other problems, just itchy. I always just kind of figured it was in my head. Maybe not though if others experience the same symptom.

I get itchy too... not in your head at all. My arms, face and scalp itch like crazy. Then I shed a handful or two of hair over the next few days. Lucky me! I get bumps that look like pimples on my upper arms but they are solid... sometimes on my face too although since going gluten-free that has almost completely disappeared.

I used comet one day and had to run outside for a sprinkler emergency. While I was outside my arms started burning like crazy and continued for 3 hours or so, steadily subsiding. If I get into a hot hot shower and let the water run where the itching and and burning are, it seems to "pull it out" if this makes sense. Sort of like getting rid of a histamine reaction. Strange but helps some.

Tracy

fedora Enthusiast
fedora
Posted

I don't react to touching small amounts of gluteny food. I do have a wheat allergy on top of gluten intolerane. Wheat eaten(not other glutens) causes me rashes. I accidentally bought a shampoo with wheat protein in it. My scalp itched like mad!!!!!!!! woke me up at night and almost drove me crazy. I just used it a few times.

I do itch alot though-sensitive skin.

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      @klmgarland, My dermatitis herpetiformis didn't clear up until I became meticulous about cross contamination. I cut out gluten-free oats and all gluten-free foods, dairy and gluten-free rice. Additionally, getting the right amount of protein for my body weight helped significantly in my body's healing process ... along with supplementing with enough of all the vitamins and minerals ... especially Zinc and Magnesium. I went from 70kg to 82kg in a year. Protein with each meal 3 times daily, especially eggs at breakfast made the difference. I'm not sure whether iodine was a problem for me, but I can tolerate iodine no problem now. I'm off Dapsone and feel great. Not a sign of an itch. So there is hope. I'm not advocating for the use of Dapsone, but it can bring a huge amount of relief despite it's effect on red blood cells. The itch is so distracting and debilitating. I tried many times to get off it, it wasn't until I implemented the changes above and was consistent that I got off it. Dermatitis Herpetiformis is horrible, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.  
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      Thank you so very much Scott.  Just having someone understand my situation is so very helpful.  If I have one more family member ask me how my little itchy skin thing is going and can't you just take a pill and it will go away and just a little bit of gluten can't hurt you!!!! I think I will scream!!
    • Scott Adams
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      It is difficult to do the detective work of tracking down hidden sources of cross-contamination. The scenarios you described—the kiss, the dish towel, the toaster, the grandbaby's fingers—are all classic ways those with dermatitis herpetiformis might get glutened, and it's a brutal learning curve that the medical world rarely prepares you for. It is difficult to have to deal with such hyper-vigilance. The fact that you have made your entire home environment, from makeup to cleaners, gluten-free is a big achievement, but it's clear the external world and shared spaces remain a minefield. Considering Dapsone is a logical and often necessary step for many with DH to break the cycle of itching and allow the skin to heal while you continue your detective work; it is a powerful tool to give you back your quality of life and sleep. You are not failing; you are fighting an incredibly steep battle. For a more specific direction, connecting with a dedicated celiac support group (online or locally) can be invaluable, as members exchange the most current, real-world tips for avoiding cross-contamination that you simply won't find in a pamphlet. You have already done the hardest part by getting a correct diagnosis. Now, the community can help you navigate the rest. If you have DH you will likely also want to avoid iodine, which is common in seafoods and dairy products, as it can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This article may also be helpful as it offers various ways to relieve the itch:  
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