Skin Reaction To Gluten

[Nikki202011]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease two years ago, I've done pretty well on a gluten free diet even though my house still isn't gluten free.

I always used to get skin rashes while I was baking or messing around in the kitchen and I never really though anything of it. Figured I just had sensitive skin. I hadn't had that problem in awhile because I didn't want to ingest the gluten so wasn't baking anything that wasn't gluten free.

Yesterday I was baking oatmeal cookies for my brother and I got some of the flour on my hand and arm. It broke out in a rash and itched, I washed it off but then had my usualy gluten reaction of a headache. Now I'm sure that in cooking I could have inhaled some of the flour but that wouldn't explain the rash because I've never gotten that from eating gluten before.

In addition I also have a skin reaction to barley, we've known about that one for ages. I can't touch it.

I was wondering if anyone else had a similar problem?

[IrishHeart]

Hi Nikki,

I am wondering...if you react to skin contact with barley why not other gluten grains/flours? Seems possible.

My scalp broke out in red itchy blotches and was peeling. I was definitely eating gluten free so what was going on? Plus, my skin feels like a really bad sunburn and I am itchy. No sores. Finally figured out the shampoo had hydrolyzed wheat protein in it. And I actually felt nauseous and dizzy/space cadet head from inhaling hair spray with that in it. I also had red hands from using a hand sanitizer with tocopheral acetate (sometimes made from wheat germ oil).

I am not using any products with gluten or soy any longer and I feel less "sunburned" and spacey, so I hope that's the answer.

I think (in MY case) it is entirely possible to have gluten reactions through skin contact.

Just my humble opinion

[Gemini]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease two years ago, I've done pretty well on a gluten free diet even though my house still isn't gluten free.

I always used to get skin rashes while I was baking or messing around in the kitchen and I never really though anything of it. Figured I just had sensitive skin. I hadn't had that problem in awhile because I didn't want to ingest the gluten so wasn't baking anything that wasn't gluten free.

Yesterday I was baking oatmeal cookies for my brother and I got some of the flour on my hand and arm. It broke out in a rash and itched, I washed it off but then had my usualy gluten reaction of a headache. Now I'm sure that in cooking I could have inhaled some of the flour but that wouldn't explain the rash because I've never gotten that from eating gluten before.

In addition I also have a skin reaction to barley, we've known about that one for ages. I can't touch it.

I was wondering if anyone else had a similar problem?

You most likely have a topical skin allergy to wheat/barley or whatever flours you were using which caused the rash. Many people have topical allergies and very sensitive skin. Unless you have DH and you ingested some of the flour you baked with, the rash is probably an allergy. You usually break out in a rash more immediately with a skin allergy. Have you ever been tested for topical/inhalant allergies?