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Original poster

Gluten Free Shampoo- Am I missing something?

31 replies

susurration · 13/10/2018 18:00

I've just seen advert for Herbal Essences, advertising that their shampoo is Gluten Free. Am I missing something? Does shampoo a) normally have gluten in it? and b) does it matter?

Surely people with gluten intolerance and allergies are not eating their shampoo? Does gluten allergy cause problems if you apply something with gluten in it to your skin?

OP posts:

Littletabbyocelot · 13/10/2018 18:05

My mum has coeliacs and is so sensitive that any gluten touching her will prompt a reaction so yes she does need gluten free shampoo (and yes, many aren't). I can't kneed bread as my hands go bright red and flaky (also coeliac)

Original poster

susurration · 13/10/2018 18:18

So the gluten in the shampoo touching her skin causes an allergic reaction? Does that mean she wouldn't be able to use certain body scrubs or even, like you, knead bread?

OP posts:

hellokittymania · 13/10/2018 18:20

This doesn't surprise me as I think toothpaste can cause a reaction as well.

Do you have a link to gluten free shampoo? That would be really helpful to know where to buy actually.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General food General health

Littletabbyocelot · 13/10/2018 18:21

Yes. She has to be very careful.

Original poster

susurration · 13/10/2018 18:36

The one I saw advertised was a herbal essences. Possibly a new range?

Really interesting to know that this is a problem. I didn't realise that gluten could be in these things.

OP posts:

Perthshire2 · 13/10/2018 18:41

I’m celiac and once used a shampoo with wheat in and it made me ill, I can’t use face creams with wheat in either :(

So yep us celiacs need gf shampoo ect x

pinkmagic1 · 13/10/2018 18:42

Palmers shampoos are gluten free.

kaytee87 · 13/10/2018 18:44

Celiac disease isn't an allergy or intolerance. It's a serious auto immune disease that can have life long complications. Being in contact with gluten can cause symptoms in some sufferers.

JeanMichelBisquiat · 13/10/2018 18:48

We have severe slow-acting (non IgE) allergy to gluten in the family, and that's a reaction even on skin contact. So you can have the same problem for those who aren't coeliac, as well.

khaleesi71 · 13/10/2018 18:53

Some people with intolerance to gluten (coeliac) suffer from dermatitis herpetiformis which is a painful skin complaint causing blistering. Gluten is not absorbed through the skin so any reaction may be a response to other ingredients.

SputnikBear · 13/10/2018 18:53

I have coeliac and have never bothered to look for gluten free shampoo. Coeliac is an immune reaction that occurs in the intestines and I don’t tend to drink my shampoo!

TomHardysNextWife · 13/10/2018 18:56

My granddaughters have both got coeliac disease and are highly sensitive to gluten. It's heartbreaking when they've eaten something they shouldn't have, and DD feels like she's banging her head against the wall making people understand how serious it is and that it isn't a dietary preference. They've reacted to shampoos and creams as well as food.

Original poster

susurration · 13/10/2018 23:17

Thank you for explaining that it is an auto-immune problem, not an allergy. I didn't know that. I'm still a bit surprised about the shampoo though, because as Sputnik says, you don't drink shampoo. Just never thought about it, but happy to learn about it.

OP posts:

StrangeLookingParasite · 13/10/2018 23:29

Huh, every day is a school day. And I learned that the funny blistery things I get on my fingers sometimes might be dermatitis herpetiformis, though a very, very mild version (do NOT google. Ow.)

chocafrolic · 13/10/2018 23:38

My husband has the joy of being a coeliac who can't tolerate even the codex standard. He laughs every time the ad is on and says what a load of bollocks. If you are coeliac, unless you are drinking the stuff, there is no proof using it on your head will cause a coeliac reaction.
He gets dermatitis herpetiformis too occasionally but it's usually if he's been glutened

Kernowgal · 14/10/2018 04:16

strange it may also be dishydrotic eczema, or pompholyx - I get this on my fingers, toes and soles of my feet.

bumblebee39 · 14/10/2018 04:29

I have celiac and can use gluten shampoo I just can't eat it. Others get celiac dermatitis where there skin reacts from gluten not just their insides

JeanMichelBisquiat · 14/10/2018 06:58

For those coeliacs gaily taking the piss out of the notion that anyone could ever react through skin contact, just to let you know that we've had this confirmed by experts at two different excellent hospitals. And we're not laughing, as it's not much fun.

bruffin · 14/10/2018 07:02

Huh, every day is a school day. And I learned that the funny blistery things I get on my fingers sometimes might be dermatitis herpetiformis, though a very, very mild version (do NOT google

I get the blisters on the fingers , its dishydrotic eczema in my case.

MrTumblesSpottyHag · 14/10/2018 07:32

My sister once gave my nephew a kiss on the cheek after she'd eaten a burger bun. He came up in an almost perfectly mouth shaped red raised rash within 2 minutes. It was kind of amazing/horrifying at the same time.
Thankfully he's mostly grown out of the allergy now.

EyUpOurKid · 14/10/2018 08:04

My sister was ill for weeks and we couldn't work out why/what was being contaminated until her coeliac friend said to check her products. She's gluten intolerant. It was wheat in the body wash, she stopped using it.

kaytee87 · 14/10/2018 08:11

@JeanMichelBisquiat thank you. We thought our son had celiac disease at one point. Thankfully the tests came back negative (just a serious case of toddler diarrhoea that's still ongoing) anyway the consultant mentioned some people can even react to contact with gluten.

bruffin · 14/10/2018 08:14

This is from the celiac Disease Foundation. Do I have to use special gluten-free soaps, shampoos and lotions if I have celiac disease? Can gluten be absorbed through the skin?
No. Gluten cannot be absorbed through your scalp or skin. It must be ingested to affect those with Celiac disease. Lipstick and lip products should be gluten-free as they are easily ingested. However, patients with active dermatitis herpetiformis, a skin condition of celiac disease, should use gluten-free products to avoid contact with any open skin lesions.

also National Celiac Society

None of the Celiac societys seem to think gluten is an issue in skin and hair products , its only if they have lesions or things like toothpaste/lipbalm or lipstick

kaytee87 · 14/10/2018 08:15

I think this is from the same website

That being said, some individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity are sensitive to topical gluten and develop a skin or scalp rash or inflammation upon contact. These people should avoid personal care products that contain gluten.

JeanMichelBisquiat · 14/10/2018 09:04

Ours is non IgE allergy rather than coeliac, so I'm guessing may be different.

However, I've been in contact with the mum of a newly diagnosed coeliac kid in the last few weeks, and they've had exactly the same advice about avoiding touching gluten; even if you don't react through skin contact, it's creating more risk of cross-contamination by getting it on hands etc. And as we all know, some coeliacs can have damage without being symptomatic.

I note the foundation advice, but it's worth remembering that different organisations in different countries hand out quite different advice on codex levels etc - I'd personally prefer to follow expert medical advice.

My general point was, just because it doesn't affect you, don't laugh at the possibility that it might affect others

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