On this episode of the ‘Gluten Free RN,’ Nadine explains how gluten affects your skin. If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, you may also suffer from dermatitis herpetiformis, a painful rash that is often misdiagnosed.
Nadine shares her struggle with DH and offers advice about eliminating gluten from both your diet and personal care regime in order to heal your skin. The only treatment for this issue is a 100% gluten-free diet.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so listen and learn how to keep it looking and feeling good!
What’s Discussed:
The definition of Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH)
- Blistering, vesicular rash that is typically round
- Itchy, very painful and distracting
- Caused by IgA deposits under the skin
- May appear on hands, legs, back, armpits, buttocks, elbows, knees, scalp, torso and even eyes
- Not contagious
- The only treatment is a 100% gluten-free diet
Nadine’s struggle with DH
- Blisters, itchy and painful hands as a child
- Irritated by latex gloves as a nurse, hands developed rash
- Misdiagnosed by several dermatologists
- DH finally identified by Dr. Abigail Haberman
- Rash had exploded all over Nadine’s body and she was near death
- Most of the rash resolved quickly after adopting a gluten-free diet
Why steroid creams, long-term antibiotics and dapsone aren’t the answer
- DH is an external expression of what’s happening internally
- Topical creams don’t treat the underlying cause
- Long-term antibiotics disrupt the microbiome and put you at risk for developing other infections
- Dapsone is associated with serious side effects for the blood and liver
- Removing gluten from your diet and personal care products is the only cure
The importance of eliminating gluten from personal care products
- Anything you put on your skin can travel through to your bloodstream
- Discontinue the use of products that contain wheat, barley, rye or oats
- Nadine also recommends eliminating products that contain chemicals such as lauryl sulfates and paraffins
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Nadine:
Books by Nadine:
Dough Nation: A Nurse’s Memoir of Celiac Disease from Missed Diagnosis to Food and Health Activism
