Shampoo/conditioner

[SiouxsieKim]

Hi

I've been gluten free since July and for the first couple of months I was fine but I've been getting steadily worse since. I have a really bad stomach, feel sick, can't eat. The only thing I've found just now is that my leave-in conditioner has hydrolyzed wheat protein in it which I know is gluten. I've been using it since end of August... could this be causing me to be ill? The thing is it doesn't go in my mouth so surely it shouldn't effect my digestive system? Is there any evidence that it can be absorbed through the skin? Everything I've found on the web seems to suggest skin problems or is just speculation. Please help!

Kim

[darlindeb25]

Some celiac's/gluten intolerant are much more sensitive than others. No, you don't put it in your mouth purposely, but do you touch your hair? I'm sure you do, we all do. So, you touch your hair, it's on your hand, you eat something, it's in your mouth.

In my experience, it's just best for us to use all gluten free products, then we are much safer. I also topically react to gluten, oats, corn, and rice.

[ang1e0251]

I think we all overlook some more subtle ways we might ingest hair products. I've been reading about posters who are glutened by inhaling flour. Of course, you inhale it and then mucous is passed into your stomach and BOOM, gluten in your digestive system. Now I love steamy hot showers, does it make sense that some of your conditioner molecules steam up and are breathed in just like flour particles might be? I think so because I can smell the scent of the conditioner so something is coming into my nose. I don't think it matters if you get it off your skin or breathe it in, I don't want wheat anywhere near me! It's insidious and seems to sneek into my system like it's stalking me to make me sick!

Also other products are airborn like hairspray and gels steam up if you use them and then use a straightener. I just think since we don't comepletely understand all the ways we can ingest gluten, we should be kind to ourselves and stay away from questionable prodects.

What do you guys think?

[Rya]

I concur with the other responses.

I bought a giant economy bottle before I was diagnosed (last summer) and was still using it. Well, I had this nausea that just wouldn't quit for a few months. I went on a tear through my bathroom and found 9 products that had oat or wheat. Once I got rid of those I felt better in a few days.

Based on the articles I've read, skin absorption of gluten is not real, though some may have other opinions on that. But, like angle and darlindeb said, you'd be surprised how many times a day your hand makes it into your mouth. I.e. do you wash your face after you wash your hair? Do you ever feel the shampoo run down your face? I think we've all had that bitter taste of shampoo/soap in our mouths at some point where you have to spit and rinse, yes? I came home the other day, kissed my boyfriend, and was told my lips tasted like hand sanitizer (which I use at work). So it happens...

Can't be too careful.

[Gemini]

I think we all overlook some more subtle ways we might ingest hair products. I've been reading about posters who are glutened by inhaling flour. Of course, you inhale it and then mucous is passed into your stomach and BOOM, gluten in your digestive system. Now I love steamy hot showers, does it make sense that some of your conditioner molecules steam up and are breathed in just like flour particles might be? I think so because I can smell the scent of the conditioner so something is coming into my nose. I don't think it matters if you get it off your skin or breathe it in, I don't want wheat anywhere near me! It's insidious and seems to sneek into my system like it's stalking me to make me sick!

Also other products are airborn like hairspray and gels steam up if you use them and then use a straightener. I just think since we don't comepletely understand all the ways we can ingest gluten, we should be kind to ourselves and stay away from questionable prodects.

What do you guys think?

OK, now it's time to play devils advocate here and give another side to this issue. Inhaling flour is very different than thinking you may have swallowed some shampoo during a shower. I have a friend who is Celiac and is a supervisor at a cafeteria and was the master baker there. His numbers (which is what everyone needs to refer back to when starting to feel crappy again) are not coming down but he was working in a cloud of flour all day. If you breathe a fine, powdery substance in, over time, you will definitely have a problem with being glutened, if it contains wheat, barley or rye. Shampoo, on the other hand, is liquid and does not become airborne. If you swallow shampoo on a regular basis while bathing, you are also going to have a problem. If you wash your hair and rinse it well, touching your hair and then putting your hands in your mouth WILL NOT cause an autoimmune reaction. I really think people need to think about that and not get carried away and overly paranoid about taking a gluten hit. A couple of things of importance.....

Anyone who is diagnosed as Celiac or gluten sensitive can and probably does have additional food intolerances or allergies. That would be the most likely culprit if you are doing well on the diet and then backslide. I discovered, through my own experiments, that I cannot tolerate much dairy. I can have small amounts but cannot drink a glass of milk or I pay for it the next day. If you are having problems again, go back to your doctor and have them repeat your blood work to see if you are ingesting any gluten.....it will show in your blood work, that's the purpose of repeat testing. Taking advice from people who think you can become glutened by touching your hair and then putting them in your mouth is not the best way to get to the root of a problem, plus the information is inaccurate. I know some will become very upset with this but medical fact is medical fact. Even for very sensitive Celiacs, which I am one of, it will not cause a problem.

The other problem is that some will inevitably become a bit paranoid about how a person can be glutened. Read and get an education on how contamination occurs and the actual, real process of how gluten will trigger an immune response. It's important or this diet will become very difficult. Smelling something, like the conditioner statement above, does not necessarily mean you have just glutened yourself. I cannot stand the smell of toasting wheat bread and will become a little nauseous from it but I am not being glutened, even if I touch it. I am beginning to think it may be psychosomatic because once the smell is removed, I am fine. You have to be careful not to become carried away with this or it will rule your life. You can be in the same room as wheat, you can touch wheat, you can smell wheat....just don't put it in your mouth!

Bottom line is that if you feel you cannot take a shower and wash your hair without ingesting some amount of shampoo that has wheat products in it, by all means go buy a gluten-free shampoo/conditioner. I would recommend going to the doctor for repeat testing to see if you actually have ingested any gluten and then go from there. It could also be that you have a bug or virus that has nothing at all to do with Celiac. Not all stomach problems are caused by gluten but until you have some testing, you will not know and may go off in the weeds trying to figure out the problem. I only am strict about gluten with food or anything that goes into my mouth or on my lips. I haven't even checked any of my skin care products because it doesn't matter unless you eat them. Gluten does not go through your skin. How do I know I am getting it right? I feel great and my blood work couldn't be better. That's how you tell if you are ingesting gluten.