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Gluten Intolerance Or Food Allergy On Cheeks?

Tidings

By Tidings
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Tidings Explorer
Tidings
Posted

Some time ago a friend who was nursing her new baby came by and I noticed the baby's cheeks had a mild red rash on them. She wondered what was causing it. I suggested it might be something SHE was eating or drinking that the baby was allergic to...

In recent years, I noticed my left cheek was slightly puffy and red. Just the left one, not the right one too. Since I'd been having some tooth issues, went to the dentist and she actually referred me to an endodontist who did a root canal! You guessed it: The red, slightly puffy cheek still comes and goes, despite the dental work.

Am pretty sure that this is a response to something happening in my stomach or intestines. (Also, years ago, I used to take Gingko Biloba for memory and eye problems, but noticed it tended to cause a red bumpy rash on my cheeks, so stopped it.)

Has anybody else noticed a similar mild reddish rash and/or puffiness on either or both cheeks, when exposed to food allergies?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

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Dixiebell Contributor
Dixiebell
Posted

My son's cheeks and chin would turn red and there were a few small bumps and his ears would also sometimes turn beet red. I usually noticed it at dinner time. It was not something that would happen all the time though. Since he has been gluten free it hasn't happened again.

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

i had super red cheeks - it started when i was 14 or 15- that's why my PCP suggested i go to a Rheumatologist to test for Lupus. she thought it looked like the Lupus "butterfly rash". (this was also the same time when i became anorexic, and a vegetarian... of course still consuming wheat everyday)

they could never dx Lupus. then, in my 20s- i went to a Naturopath physician cause of many problems.... the first thing the nurse said when she saw my cheeks: "oh that rash is food allergies". they dx me with Candida & prescribed a caveman diet & probiotics. i never stuck with the diet.

then at age 28, i went on Atkins, then Bloodtype O diet (no carb, rarely gluten, paleo like)-> the rash WENT AWAY. NO MORE RED CHEEKS...

they got red again few years later- prolly cause i went lax on my no carb (and got more gluten obviously).

been gluten free 2+ months now- and no red cheeks.

my sister got the red cheeks too- but after going gluten free- it went away.

at times i thought it could be linked to alcohol or hormones- but i think gluten is a huge factor.

and that's all i know about the red cheeks

Tidings Explorer
Tidings
Posted
  • Author

and that's all i know about the red cheeks

LOL, cassP! Thanks for your red-cheek summary. In my case, I don't think hormones or alcohol had anything to do with it. I suspect in my case it might have something to do with allergies or acidity, since those stinko-Gingko tablets *always* make my cheeks red and bumpy, and I think I'm either allergic to something in them or maybe they're very acidic and trigger that red-cheek thing. What's funny is that I was taking the Gingko to improve my memory, and sure enough, as soon as I took some, I REMEMBERED WHY I STOPPED TAKING THEM! (Couldn't find a red-cheeked smiley-icon to include here...) Anyway, it's interesting to hear that others also have had the red cheeks and foods may've been involved.

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