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Shampoo?

wsieving

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wsieving Contributor
wsieving
Posted

Ok, I took a gander around the local health food store today as we are preparing to go gluten free just as soon as we see the GI friday. We are hoping that he doesn't have a problem with this as we really do not want our DD to have the endoscopy. Anyway, the owner was gabbing my ear off telling me she had the largest range of gluten free products in the state. She said people travel from everywhere to go to her store. As she was telling me about all of her products she mentioned to me that I may even need to get a gluten free shampoo for DD. Does shampoo really cause reactions for people who are really sensitive??? I have never read or heard this anywhere before.

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
Ok, I took a gander around the local health food store today as we are preparing to go gluten free just as soon as we see the GI friday. We are hoping that he doesn't have a problem with this as we really do not want our DD to have the endoscopy. Anyway, the owner was gabbing my ear off telling me she had the largest range of gluten free products in the state. She said people travel from everywhere to go to her store. As she was telling me about all of her products she mentioned to me that I may even need to get a gluten free shampoo for DD. Does shampoo really cause reactions for people who are really sensitive??? I have never read or heard this anywhere before.

Yes. All shampoos, lotions etc. need to be gluten free. You also need to check on art supplies and that sort of thing. It can hide even in some brands of playdough and finger paints.

ArtGirl Enthusiast
ArtGirl
Posted

Any gluten that has contact with the hands can theoretically make it's way into the mouth. For children, that's almost a given. While gluten in shampoo won't be absorbed through the skin, sometimes the soapy water makes its way down the face and into the mouth or nose. Also, handling or chewing hair that has residu of gluten containing shampoo might also be a problem.

I have found that those products that are petroleum-based are usually free of grains of any kind. It's the "health" or "natural" products that might have oat or wheat germ in them.

The safest way for your daughter is to be sure all personal products (and cleaning products) in the house are gluten-free. There are so many that fit this bill, it's not really a problem. If in doubt about ingredients in a product, contact (phone or email) the manufacturer. They are usually quick to respond.

In addition to playdough (which is normally made from wheat) and paints, I'm thinking that possibly glues need to be checked.

That reminds me of a comment from a daycare worker when I said that playdough had wheat in it and I couldn't handle it.... she said.... "but we make our own and use only white flour!"

njbeachbum Explorer
njbeachbum
Posted

i was diagnosed in November 2007, and just had my follow up appointment and blood work. all of my celiac antibodies and vitamin levels fell comfortably in the normal range! with that being said, over the past 9 months or so, i've used paul mitchell tea tree shampoo, which clearly has "wheat" listed on the ingredients. when you think about the TINY amount of wheat that is in that entire bottle of shampoo and how much you use on a daily basis then factor in the 95% chance that it makes its way into your mouth.... it's really not that risky. just as with all diseases, you have to accept your own comfort level with taking risks. i've chosen to take this risk, but am still actively healing and feeling better each day, and my recent blood work results confirm that i'm doing everything that i should be doing.

when i asked my doctor back in January if i should toss the shampoo... he looked at me and said "are you eating the shampoo?" i personally would not worry about researching personal care products to that degree unless your daughter is continuing to have symptoms and health issues after effectively modifying her diet.

i hope this helps and best of luck to you :)

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
i was diagnosed in November 2007, and just had my follow up appointment and blood work. all of my celiac antibodies and vitamin levels fell comfortably in the normal range! with that being said, over the past 9 months or so, i've used paul mitchell tea tree shampoo, which clearly has "wheat" listed on the ingredients. when you think about the TINY amount of wheat that is in that entire bottle of shampoo and how much you use on a daily basis then factor in the 95% chance that it makes its way into your mouth.... it's really not that risky. just as with all diseases, you have to accept your own comfort level with taking risks. i've chosen to take this risk, but am still actively healing and feeling better each day, and my recent blood work results confirm that i'm doing everything that i should be doing.

when i asked my doctor back in January if i should toss the shampoo... he looked at me and said "are you eating the shampoo?" i personally would not worry about researching personal care products to that degree unless your daughter is continuing to have symptoms and health issues after effectively modifying her diet.

i hope this helps and best of luck to you :)

This is excellent advice and 100% correct! I guess it would also depend on the age of the child but Celiacs and even those with DH do NOT have to use gluten-free skin care products. The exception would be those who react to other allergens topically. The shampoo would have to be getting into the GI tract to cause a problem and I don't know many people who eat shampoo, except young children who are too young to understand and keep it out of their mouths. Those that feel otherwise certainly have the choice to use gluten-free products but it is not medically necessary.

I also do not use gluten-free make-up or shampoo and, according to my blood work and lack of symptoms, I must be doing it right.

KristaleeJane Contributor
KristaleeJane
Posted

I also Have been retested and my levels are in the normal range, but I don't feel like dealing with an itchy scalp, and breakouts all over my neck face and hairline from makeup and shampoos. Also the smallest amount of gluten can still do damage to you even though your back in the normal range.

But again some of us are more sensitive than others, everyone is different.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

My daughter has to avoid products with gluten and soy. Both cause a rash on her.

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jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I've been retested for antibodies twice in 3 years and they're fine and just had an endoscopy w/biopsies--also negative, but if I use products with gluten in them I still get sick. I guess I have a difficult time keeping them away from my lips and I continue to be super-sensitive to minute amounts.

For those who are very sensitive, I still think it's best to use gluten-free topical products. :) It's one less thing to worry about. For those who don't need to worry about a reaction from such things, that's great. We're all different.

digmom1014 Enthusiast
digmom1014
Posted

Hi-

I'm using Fructis shampoo and conditioner and having no more itch. I buy it at Costco in big containers. It is one of the few items I can go mainstream on. Otherwise, I stick with Burt's Bee's-but some of their items have wheat-so have Whole Foods, etc. call 1st.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted
Hi-

I'm using Fructis shampoo and conditioner and having no more itch. I buy it at Costco in big containers. It is one of the few items I can go mainstream on. Otherwise, I stick with Burt's Bee's-but some of their items have wheat-so have Whole Foods, etc. call 1st.

I'm using the Garnier Fructis Shampoo, too! Very happy with it :D

Welcome to the board! :)

Annaem Enthusiast
Annaem
Posted

I try to use gluten free lipstics and facial lotions that are gluten free because those have a way of getting into ur mouth and so forth. I use bobby brown lipsticks. They are pricey but since i only own 5 lipsticks its worth it.

LuvMoosic4life Collaborator
LuvMoosic4life
Posted

since this is about shampoo and related stuff....if someone could answer this it would be awesome....

I'm confused about products like shampoo and what ingefients I am looking for. I know the obvious oat extracts, wheat, barley rye...ect... but is there a commonchemical that I should look for in these products that contains hidden gluten? I heard it is in certain alcohols?

sorry this is really frustrating me...

nb-canada Apprentice
nb-canada
Posted

Hi,

When I saw this topic I couldn't help but put in my 2 cents worth. I, like most of you, thought beatuy products with gluten could not possibly effect us. I am not eating it - it won't bother me. Famous last words.

Before I went gluten-free 6 months ago, I was using a natural hair conditioner with "wheat protein". I stopped using it but about a month ago I decided to try it again because I liked what it did for my hair. Bad idea! :( I had only used it once or twice when the nausea came back - I couldn't believe it. I had not eaten anything with gluten - all I did was use this conditioner which was applied after my hair was towel dried - no way to get it in my mouth. I didn't even put it on my scalp. ;) So now I am a believer!

In my opinion we should avoid these products - just not worth taking the chance of making yourself sick.

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

This is an age old argument among the gluten free. To be quite honest, those who do use gluten containing products are playing russian roulette. They are very lucky they have not been glutened yet.

Especially when it's a child, I think it is very important to use ALL gluten free products. There is really no way to tell if the gluten is completely gone from your system, unless you are totally gluten free.

In my opinion we should avoid these products - just not worth taking the chance of making yourself sick.

This is the best reason.

For shampoo, I nearly always use Pantene products. I also at times use Garnier Fructis. Once, I did use Tressemme, and it was a huge mistake. No more gluten containing products for me.

debmidge Rising Star
debmidge
Posted

This is what L'Oreal told me when I called them

"They cannot guarantee that the Fragrance in shampoo/conditioner does not

have gluten in it. Also that Fragrance-free is not the same as un-scented.

Un-scented has "maskers" in it which could have gluten"

End of conversation with L'oreal

So I found a fragrance free shampoo which may be sold in stores, but

I've yet to find it in a store - so I buy it online.

It's called DHS Clear Shampoo by Person & Covey sold

by drugstore. com. I've seen DHS Regular shampoo in Drug Fair but not this one.

The ingredients are Purified Water, TEA-Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-8 Distearate, Benzyl

Alcohol, Cocamide MEA Polyquatemium-22, Citric Acid.

NOW I purchased a different brand of fragrance free and it has WHEAT in it: it's Earth Science Fragrance

Free Shampoo. Do not buy Earth Science brand (I got it from Vitamn Shoppe internet store). Had I known that wheat was an ingredient I would not have ordered it. But I went with the fragrance free theory. So all

ingredient lists have to be read before purchase.

SunnyDyRain Enthusiast
SunnyDyRain
Posted

I find i need to avoid shampoo with wheat in it.. it makes my hair fall out in clumps. I'm a believer.

hermitgirl Contributor
hermitgirl
Posted

List of wheat/gluten free products I received yesterday from Paul Mitchell:

May 10, 2008

Shampoos:

Archived

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