Acne Clearing Up On Gluten-Free Diet?

[suziq0805]

I've been on a gluten-free diet for a few days now and it seems like some acne I had on my face may be clearing up. Can gluten cause acne? Or could this really have been DH? Some of the pimples would hurt sometimes and occassionally it would slightly itch, but it isn't crazy itchy like I thought DH was supposed to be.

[AVR1962]

Yes! I have had acne since I was 13, I am 48. Not only did my face clear up but the puffiness I had went away. My red skin turned white. It was so noticable that even my friends commented on how good my skin looked. And, what I thought was a mole, now know as DH, that kept coming and going also went away. It is amazing what a gluten-free diet can do for you!

[itchy]

There seems to be a wide range of responses to gluten for those of us who are sensitive to it. In the end, does it matter whether it is DH or not, so long as swearing off gluten-containing foods fixes the problem?

Prior to developing full blown DH I had a number of minor and untypical skin symptoms that, looking back, were probably gluten induced. And now that my DH is abating, the few remaining sores no longer look like typical DH sores. Though they continue to sting, rather than itching, so that may be a clue.

[sreese68]

I'm 42. I had been battling cystic acne since I was 15. It went away when I went gluten-free. I had an initial outbreak of acne when I first went gluten-free - kind of like when you first start a new acne medication. Then, it was gone. I did a gluten challenge, and it came back with a vengeance! My dermatologist was all ready to start me on antibiotics again. I waited to change my medications to see if it would go away on its own, and it did! I haven't had one spot of cystic acne since my skin calmed down from my gluten challenge.

Now, I do still have very small pimples because acne is also hormonally-linked for me. Definitely follows my cycle. But to me, small pimples is nothing compared to what I used to have.

[suziq0805]

The reason I'm curious is because I am not celiac diagnosed...but am diagnosed gluten sensitive. Is it possible to have DH with gluten sensitivity, but not celiac? Is DH genetic? This may not even be DH at all, but I have a son that we suspect gluten issues with and if I would have DH I wonder if doctors would look a bit closer into it for him.

[pricklypear1971]

The reason I'm curious is because I am not celiac diagnosed...but am diagnosed gluten sensitive. Is it possible to have DH with gluten sensitivity, but not celiac? Is DH genetic? This may not even be DH at all, but I have a son that we suspect gluten issues with and if I would have DH I wonder if doctors would look a bit closer into it for him.

If you have DH you have Celiac. That's the official dx in the medical community. DH is genetically based, just like Celiac. It is "normal" for DH patients to have fewer GI issues, and less intestinal damage.

Find a dermatologist who can biopsy your rash. If it comes back positive you will have a Celiac dx.

[suziq0805]

I set up an appointment with a dermatologist, but not for 2.5 weeks. I've been gluten-free since being diagnosed gluten sensitive (just a few days). Do you have to be eating gluten for DH testing?

[pricklypear1971]

I set up an appointment with a dermatologist, but not for 2.5 weeks. I've been gluten-free since being diagnosed gluten sensitive (just a few days). Do you have to be eating gluten for DH testing?

You have to have an active lesion, newer the better.

There's some literature out of the UK, specifically, they says a gluten-free diet can reduce the chance of a correct biopsy. I've never seen that mentioned in US literature, but doesn't mean it isn't there....

So, if gluten-free removes the rash, you need to keep eating it. If you still have a rash then it's up to you, you make the decision.

[rosetapper23]

Just want to add that most dermatologists have no idea how to biopsy a lesion for DH testing. He/she must NOT biopsy the lesion itself, or the biopsy will be negative. The biopsy must occur on CLEAR skin adjacent to a lesion to be properly tested for DH. You might do some research online and print out the instructions for correctly biopsying a DH lesion, in case your doctor is ignorant of the proper procedure.