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Getting rashes from gluten free food -- could this be related to lingering IgA deposits in skin?

celiacinrecovery

By celiacinrecovery
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

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celiacinrecovery Apprentice
celiacinrecovery
Posted

Hi, I've been dealing with some painful skin bumps and I'm not having success finding info elsewhere about it. Hoping it makes sense to members of this community.

Background:

  • I've been strictly gluten free for 5 years. I followed the Fasano diet, and now I only eat foods that I prepare myself. Rarely touch processed foods, but when I do they're always certified gluten free.
  • Scoped a few years ago and told I healed.
  • Used to get DH outbreaks regularly. Took dapsone from 2017-2020.
  • My celiac was misdiagnosed for many years, and was prescribed antibiotics for other several years preceding diagnosis.
  • I also deal with histamine issues, so I avoid high histamine foods.

Current Situation:

  • I continue to periodically get bumps on my face, around the temple (which is where I always got DH) and along hairline. This isn't as bad as when I was getting glutened before diagnosis, but still unsightly and sore.
  • The bumps on my temple, when I get them, are very much similar to when I would get DH outbreaks, except less painful and not as large.
  • I've consulted with a doctor and the working theory is that, for some reason, IgA has remained in my skin after all these years of being gluten-free and gets triggered occasionally. (For example, on the rare occasion when I've bought a bag of certified gluten free chips - typically salt and vinegar - I tend to break out with the painful bumps on my temple.) Not sure if it some sort of food allergy at play, but if it is, salt and vinegar chips definitely spark it.
  • It is further hypothesized that this may be related to gut damage from years of unnecessary antibiotics.

Questions:

  • Does this situation sound familiar to anyone?
  • Does the working theory makes sense (ie IgA deposits that are lingering get triggered by certain foods that are gluten free but perhaps something is at play, such as an allergy to something in salt and vinegar chips)?
  • Is there a way to lower IgA deposits in skin?
  • Any ways to alleviate this problem?
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Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

Did you know that iodine can also trigger DH in some people? Since you are so strict with your diet, my thought is that iodine could be your issue, especially because potato chips are usually salty, and most salt includes iodine supplementation. If this is the case then you may need to avoid sea food, seaweed, iodized salt, etc.

shadycharacter Enthusiast
shadycharacter
Posted
On 2/16/2023 at 7:39 PM, celiacinrecovery said:
  • I've consulted with a doctor and the working theory is that, for some reason, IgA has remained in my skin after all these years of being gluten-free and gets triggered occasionally. (For example, on the rare occasion when I've bought a bag of certified gluten free chips - typically salt and vinegar - I tend to break out with the painful bumps on my temple.) Not sure if it some sort of food allergy at play, but if it is, salt and vinegar chips definitely spark it.

Vinegar is sometimes made from grains. It's apparently considered gluten free despite this, but people with DH might be extra sensitive. Have you tried the same brand of chips without vinegar? 

celiacinrecovery Apprentice
celiacinrecovery
Posted
  • Author
4 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

Did you know that iodine can also trigger DH in some people? Since you are so strict with your diet, my thought is that iodine could be your issue, especially because potato chips are usually salty, and most salt includes iodine supplementation. If this is the case then you may need to avoid sea food, seaweed, iodized salt, etc.

Thanks so much for your response.

This is something I've considered in the past ... I used to avoid iodine like the plague. Then I realized I should have some in my diet. Lately I've been having more iodine in my diet, even going so far as to use iodized salt each day. This could very well be the trigger. Bummer.

I'd hate to cut iodine out entirely, since it is necessary for the body. But I'll try abstaining from it during a flare-up to see if that improves things. I wonder how little I can get away with consuming without negative health effects?

A couple questions:

  • Is there any research into how iodine sparks flare-ups for those with DH? I'm guessing it has something to do with triggering the IgA deposits?
  • Is this a permanent issue? Do I have to be careful about iodine consumption forever, or will there be a lessening effect over time? (I've been strictly gluten free for roughly 5 years now ... I was hoping I would be past this by now!)
  • Is there anything else I can do besides just cutting out iodine when I flare-up? Anything I can do to reduce the IgA deposits in my skin, for example?
celiacinrecovery Apprentice
celiacinrecovery
Posted
  • Author
3 hours ago, shadycharacter said:

Vinegar is sometimes made from grains. It's apparently considered gluten free despite this, but people with DH might be extra sensitive. Have you tried the same brand of chips without vinegar? 

Great question. I have plain version of the same brand and while I did find it seemed to trigger a response I don't recall it being as bad as when I've had vinegar. Then again, I don't know how well I've measured it ... the flare-ups tend to be on my head where I have head, so unless I have a shaved head at the time it is difficult to judge.

I do wonder how much of this is related to what Scott mentioned above about iodine potentially being a trigger. Processed foods generally give me this sort of reaction, to varying degrees. And I suspect most of those foods contained at least some iodized salt in them.

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted
7 hours ago, celiacinrecovery said:
  • Is there any research into how iodine sparks flare-ups for those with DH? I'm guessing it has something to do with triggering the IgA deposits?
  • Is this a permanent issue? Do I have to be careful about iodine consumption forever, or will there be a lessening effect over time? (I've been strictly gluten free for roughly 5 years now ... I was hoping I would be past this by now!)
  • Is there anything else I can do besides just cutting out iodine when I flare-up? Anything I can do to reduce the IgA deposits in my skin, for example?

There is research on this, but I don't have the specific links to it at the moment, sorry. I believe it would be a permanent issue, unfortunately. I think you'd need to avoid it mostly, but you do need a certain amount in your diet or you could get thyroid issues. 

celiacinrecovery Apprentice
celiacinrecovery
Posted
  • Author

Good to know. Will search this site for the research on iodine/DH flare-ups. If you do happen to think of it please feel free to link it here ... it'd be helpful! And thank you for sharing your knowledge.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • Solution
celiacinrecovery Apprentice
celiacinrecovery
Posted
  • Author
  • Solution

UPDATE: It appears that the rash I've been experiencing was actually eczema, not DH. That would explain why I was having a flare-up despite being strictly gluten free.

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