Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Dermatitis Herpetiformis On Face


hollyres

Recommended Posts

hollyres Explorer

I need help...I have developed dermatitis herpetiformis (I think) on my face - around my mouth and nose. I have NEVER had it before, nor do I have it any where else. It seems to only develop when I am around gluten - especially steam from the sink when I am cleaning glutenized dishes. Does anyone else have this weird thing? It seems to get worse every time I have an exposure.

Do new symptoms typically just show up after being gluten free? Is there any OTC meds that help? I am afraid it will spread. It is red, bubbly, then it gets real dry. Yuck!!!!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



lovegrov Collaborator

Leaning over steam while washing dishes that used to have gluten on them is not going to cause DH or a gluten reaction. I can't imagine there's even any gluten in the steam. My bet is it's something other than DH.

richard

ptkds Community Regular

I have that, too. And it all started after I went gluten-free, and then was getting glutened 2-3 days in a row. I got a HORRIBLE rash on my face that itched like crazy. Eventually a rash developed on my arm and back of my neck. I still get spots in those places, too. The ones on my face drive me crazy the most. They get all red and are very noticeable and they last forever. It hasn't been confirmed as DH yet, but the dermotologist is pretty sure it it, just not in a normal presentation.

And sweating (or leaning into steam) made the spots feel worse, but it didn't make them worse. But they did feel a lot worse if I got too hot.

ptkds

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,344
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    jaegsfamily
    Newest Member
    jaegsfamily
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.1k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      You are welcome! We frequently get similar comments. Knowledge about celiac disease in the medical community at large is, unfortunately, still significantly lacking. Sometimes docs give what are obviously bum steers or just fail to give any steering at all and leave their patients just hanging out there on a limb. GI docs seem to have better knowledge but typically fail to be helpful when it comes to things like assisting their patients in grasping how to get started on gluten free eating. The other thing that, to me at least, seems to be coming to the forefront are the "tweener" cases where someone seems to be on the cusp of developing celiac disease but kind of crossing back and forth over that line. Their testing is inconsistent and inconclusive and their symptoms may come and go. We like to think in definite categorical terms but real life isn't always that way.
    • Rogol72
      Hey @Morgan Tiernan, Sounds just like my experience. I was diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis over 10 years ago. It appeared suddenly as a very itchy rash which looked like Eczema. When a steroid cream didn't clear it up, my Dermatologist (who had come across it before) suspected dermatitis herpetiformis and performed a skin biopsy which came back positive for dermatitis herpetiformis. The important thing is to get a definitive diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis. What you've described sounds like classic dermatitis herpetiformis though. Hopefully, your Dermatologist has come across dermatitis herpetiformis before and performs the skin biopsy correctly as trents mentioned. I've had the blisters on the knees, hips, forearms/elbows or anywhere that pressure is applied to the skin ... from clothing or otherwise. They itch like nothing on earth, and yes salt from sweat or soaps/shower gels will irritate a lot. I've been on Dapsone and it is very very effective at eliminating the dermatitis herpetiformis itch, and improved my quality of life in the early stages of getting on top of dermatitis herpetiformis while I adjusted to the gluten-free diet. But it does have various side effects as trents said. It can effect the red blood cells, lowering hemoglobin and can cause anemia, and requires regular blood monitoring whilst on it. You would need to consider it carefully with your Dermatologist if you do have dermatitis herpetiformis. Here's a very informative webinar from Coeliac Canada discussing everything dermatitis herpetiformis related.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAdmsNiyfOw I've also found this recent interview with a Dermatologist about dermatitis herpetiformis to be educational.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZnLeKutgUY Keep the chin up and keep advocating for yourself for a proper diagnosis. Though it sounds like you're on top of that already. Are you in the UK or Ireland? I'm curious because your surname is Irish. 
    • Philly224
      Thanks again everyone! Twenty mins on here way more helpful than both Dr's combined 😅
    • trents
    • trents
      I would go for four weeks to ensure a valid test, if you can tolerate it, that is.
×
×
  • Create New...