Breaking Out Since Going Gluten Free

[kimann79]

I have NEVER had problems with acne. Never. Not when a teenager, not when pregnant, nor during that time of the month.

I went gluten free about three weeks ago and all of a sudden, seemingly within the last few hours, I have developed the worst case of acne I've ever had. I woke up with one zit this morning and now my face, chest and neck are covered. It's awful. The only thing I have changed is going off gluten. Do you think this has something to do with that? Also, and I don't know if this is related to the the acne, my scalp hurts so bad. It feels like someone was trying to pull my hair out of my head. I can hardly touch it. That started the same time the acne flared up.

I keep looking in the mirror and am horrified. I've never even had to use anything stronger than organic cleanser on my face so this is kind of freaking me out.

[gf-soph]

I have NEVER had problems with acne. Never. Not when a teenager, not when pregnant, nor during that time of the month.

I went gluten free about three weeks ago and all of a sudden, seemingly within the last few hours, I have developed the worst case of acne I've ever had. I woke up with one zit this morning and now my face, chest and neck are covered. It's awful. The only thing I have changed is going off gluten. Do you think this has something to do with that? Also, and I don't know if this is related to the the acne, my scalp hurts so bad. It feels like someone was trying to pull my hair out of my head. I can hardly touch it. That started the same time the acne flared up.

I keep looking in the mirror and am horrified. I've never even had to use anything stronger than organic cleanser on my face so this is kind of freaking me out.

I have had a somewhat similar problem - I had acne as a teenager, only on the face, and it was well controlled with the pill. Nothing changed when I went gluten free, but when I started a chemical elimination diet last year within a couple of days my scalp, neck and back all broke out in a horrible painful rash that I had never had before. It looked like lots of acne, but it hurt terribly to touch, and got itchy at times. It also didn't come to a head like a normal pimple, it just stayed the same for weeks at a time.

My dr put me on a very low dose antibiotic (a tetracyclic) and it cleared up. I know there are good reasons not to take antibiotics unnecessarily, but this was a subclinical dose so it didn't kill off bacteria. I went off the meds a while ago and the rash came back. I thought it was really nasty acne, but my dr looked at it and said it was actually folliculitis, an infection/inflammation of the follicles. If your rash doesn't look like normal acne, get a doctor or dermatologist to check it out.

You say you've only gone off gluten, but have you started eating something else to replace it, or have you started eating more of a certain food? You could be reacting to that. I imagine it could be some sort of body detox, but in my case it wasn't.

Some good news - I am redoing the elimination diet with some changes, and this time the reash doesn't show any signs of coming back despite me being off the medication for several weeks. Fingers crossed!

Hope you get it sorted soon, I know how upsetting it is.

[kimann79]

It is quite itchy. The ones on my face look like acne but there are a few (on my chest and back of my neck) that don't. I have added tapioca starch to my diet but I've had it before and didn't react like this. I've not really increased anything else in my diet. I've only taken away.

Unfortunately, I don't have insurance so I can't see a dermatologist. I hope it just goes away. I may try some tea tree oil. I don't know...

I'm starting the GAPS diet in October which is, I think, a kind of elimination diet. I hope I don't have to deal with something like what you went through!

[ravenwoodglass]

It is quite itchy. The ones on my face look like acne but there are a few (on my chest and back of my neck) that don't. I have added tapioca starch to my diet but I've had it before and didn't react like this. I've not really increased anything else in my diet. I've only taken away.

Unfortunately, I don't have insurance so I can't see a dermatologist. I hope it just goes away. I may try some tea tree oil. I don't know...

I'm starting the GAPS diet in October which is, I think, a kind of elimination diet. I hope I don't have to deal with something like what you went through!

The fact that it is itchy is significant. It may be DH, or the skin form of celiac. Make sure all your topicals are gluten free, including shampoos etc. Also make sure that all your eating is for sure gluten free, check all meds and supplements and avoid iodine.

If the rash consists of large mosquito type bumps then that would be an indication of an allergy rather than DH. If it is hives can get some relief from an antihistamine like benadryl.

Hopefully your outbreak will clear soon.

[macocha]

what about shingles? could it be that your body is stressed and this is the way it is reacting?

just putting it out there.

whatever it is - I hope it clears up! Acne shouldn't be that painful, should it?

[kimann79]

I don't think it's shingles. My sister had them and this is nothing like that. It's more itchy than painful. Only my scalp hurts but there is no outbreak there so I'm not sure what this is. I hope it's just some weird passing fluke.

[bridgetm]

I've been breaking out too. I always had clear skin and made it to age 20 with only a monthly zit, but within 2 months of going gluten-free I started breaking out. My face only, not itchy and completely different from the DH on my arms. It's weird and frustrating but it is managable so I guess I can't complain.