Rosacea and gluten

[Lynxcat]

This may be of interest to some Forum members:

reverta.com/blog/rosacea/ro...

[jan44]

This is really interesting. My coeliac disease came to light as a result of a blood test my GP did before I could be referred to a dermatologist. Anyway my last flareup came when I ate prescription rolls containing wheat starch I haven't eaten any since and my skin is in much better condition. I think the extreme redness in my skin was gluten overload.

[Lynxcat in reply to jan44]

I avoid any of the 'grains' whether they are considered to be gluten free or not. I am convinced that as 'gluten free' means they may allow up to 20ppm of gluten in it results in 20ppm too much gluten at least for me. At Christmas, I had some 'gluten free' Christmas cake purchased from an online specialist company - I had a piece that was only half to a centimetre thick on Christmas Day afternoon and was sick seven times throughoutduring Christmas Day evening and during the night - it was truly dreadful. I felt so ill afterwards and all day Boxing Day and still not quite right for a few days longer. I will never be tempted to buy 'gluten free' online again. So many people are affected by Codex wheat starch which they happily spread in 'gluten free' products, pure oats (gluten free oats) which they happily list as safe for coeliacs, 'gluten free' sauces - and so on and so forth. I think it is better to look at the ingredients and find ones that never produce any form of gluten. This is just a personal opinion - but I feel it is definitely worth checking out the items to avoid the overload that 20ppm appears to cause, as it is truly horrible to feel ill.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Don't forget that there's also been a number of discussions + posts on here on Rosacea - just search the tag directory or click here: glutenfreeguerrillas.health...

My dermatologist has confirmed that most Rosacea is hard to reduce unless you pay privately for laser treatment.

Triggers for Rosacea are:

- wind (hard to avoid)

- sun (ditto)

- spicy food

- stress

- exercise

- allergic reactions e.g. to high histamine foods and drinks

glutenfreeguerrillas.health...

All of these cause the capillaries in the skin to expand and over time - in some people they will become enlarged and easily redden.

Things that you can do to reduce rosacea are to use:

- green toned make up

- wear a high factor sun cream like boots.com/en/LA-ROCHE-POSAY... recommended by dermatologists

*note: this will mean that you also absorb less Vitamin D naturally from the sun so keep your levels checked and discuss any supplements with your Dr

Some nutritionists believe that any problems with skin reflect inflammation elsewhere in the body. So it could be that Rosacea is a symptom of the body re-balancing itself after fighting gluten for so long.

[meanioni]

I went backwards and forwards for ages with what my GP thought was Rosacea and the conclusions was that it was not. More a form of dermatitis.

Problem is with these skin conditions that they are hard to differentiate and hard to treat.

My daughter recently had terrible rashes on her forehead. Turns out it was yeast. She cut it out of her diet and her skin cleared up.

[Lynxcat in reply to meanioni]

I think rashes are almost soul destroying as they are often visible, usually itchy, painful and sore and extremely difficult to get rid of. So many kind hearted people give suggestions on how to cure them and often you have already tried their suggestions or if not they don't work anyway. In some instances the 'cures' make them worse.

When my daughter was younger she had a rash appear just in one area on her leg - about an inch or may be slightly less in size. I took her to the doctors who said it was ringworm (despite there being no contact with animals) and prescribed a tube of ointment. I applied the ointment and the rash shot in every direction and spread to both legs and became really bad. It meant another trip back to the doctors, applying another newly presctibed ointment and bandaging up and much itching and worrying .. all made worse it seems by the the school's plastic chairs (they apparently no longer had wooden ones) ..

What did occur to me, although many years later, is that at no time was a swab taken to find out what was going on and to see if an answer lay on the skin's surface. As you say there are so many rashes or would be rashes that can look so very similar it can be a matter of luck at finding out what a rash actually is and whether anything can be done about getting rid of it.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Indeed my Rosacea that only appeared after going GF was diagnosed numerous times as 'acne' ?! As it also travelled down my neck and shoulders and formed pimples. After seeing a proper dermatologist it was correctly diagnosed as two different types of Rosacea including the pustular kind. The only thing that works is factor 50 sunscreen on reducing it - not great for my VitD intake but at least I don't look like I have a 'lurgi' anymore ; )

One thing a lot of people don't know is that rosacea also effects the eyes. So if in doubt do ask for a 2nd opinion.

See here for more info: internationalrosaceafoundat...