WHAT'S IN IT?
A good friend who is very gluten intolerant called for a chat one day... She could not work out why she was still suffering the debilitating effects of gluten intolerance as she wasn't eating anything with gluten in it. She was being so careful with her diet but still had the symptoms as if she was eating gluten. It was worrying her as she was back and forth to the doctor, not able to understand where the problem had arisen.
Then the penny dropped... She had been using a wheatgerm shampoo. Could this be causing the problem? The skin is our largest organ and does act as a barrier against microns entering our bloodstream and they say that wheat allergen microns are too large to penetrate the skin but if there are any cuts or lesions it increases the possibility of undesirable substances getting into the bloodstream. Also products that touch the mucous membranes such as the lips and mouth could present a risk. When she was washing her hair in the shower some of the product may have entered this way as it passed her lips and mouth. She stopped using the shampoo and her symptoms gradually subsided leaving her free from pain and back in balance. There's no concrete evidence that this was the cause of her gluten problem but it remains a possibility. This was her experience and her belief.
The jury is out on whether skincare products containing gluten can also be harmful to those with a gluten intolerance but there is some evidence to support gluten free skincare. If a skincare product does contain gluten we are legally bound to declare it on our labels in bold, as a possible allergen.
"Non-food substances can also contain gluten. These include vitamins, toothpastes, and the adhesive found in some envelopes and stamps. Skin care products might also contain gluten as they sometimes use oils or extracts derived from wheat, barley, or rye as emollients. Due to the growing awareness of gluten sensitivities and celiac disease, some skin care companies are now labelling or formulating some of their products to be gluten-free."
Excerpt from BadGut
We need to remember that everything we put onto our skin and hair could possibly affect our well-being. Careful use of ingredients in products helps reduce the likelihood of allergens being present. Some occur naturally in essential oils and other ingredients but they should all appear on the labels if they are present, where specified by the testing labs.
Some people are allergic to some very specific things that are not generally flagged up as allergens such as avocados and even coconuts although instances are very rare. Check out your skincare labels and make sure that they don't contain anything that could cause a problem for you. If you are in any doubt, check with your healthcare professional before using anything on your skin and hair and do a patch test on the inside of your arm before you dive into any skincare product.
View allergen information here
END
Then the penny dropped... She had been using a wheatgerm shampoo. Could this be causing the problem? The skin is our largest organ and does act as a barrier against microns entering our bloodstream and they say that wheat allergen microns are too large to penetrate the skin but if there are any cuts or lesions it increases the possibility of undesirable substances getting into the bloodstream. Also products that touch the mucous membranes such as the lips and mouth could present a risk. When she was washing her hair in the shower some of the product may have entered this way as it passed her lips and mouth. She stopped using the shampoo and her symptoms gradually subsided leaving her free from pain and back in balance. There's no concrete evidence that this was the cause of her gluten problem but it remains a possibility. This was her experience and her belief.
The jury is out on whether skincare products containing gluten can also be harmful to those with a gluten intolerance but there is some evidence to support gluten free skincare. If a skincare product does contain gluten we are legally bound to declare it on our labels in bold, as a possible allergen.
"Non-food substances can also contain gluten. These include vitamins, toothpastes, and the adhesive found in some envelopes and stamps. Skin care products might also contain gluten as they sometimes use oils or extracts derived from wheat, barley, or rye as emollients. Due to the growing awareness of gluten sensitivities and celiac disease, some skin care companies are now labelling or formulating some of their products to be gluten-free."
Excerpt from BadGut
We need to remember that everything we put onto our skin and hair could possibly affect our well-being. Careful use of ingredients in products helps reduce the likelihood of allergens being present. Some occur naturally in essential oils and other ingredients but they should all appear on the labels if they are present, where specified by the testing labs.
Some people are allergic to some very specific things that are not generally flagged up as allergens such as avocados and even coconuts although instances are very rare. Check out your skincare labels and make sure that they don't contain anything that could cause a problem for you. If you are in any doubt, check with your healthcare professional before using anything on your skin and hair and do a patch test on the inside of your arm before you dive into any skincare product.
View allergen information here
END