Those diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease (CD) are very accustomed to careful label reading when it comes to food products. But what about skincare products? Is there a concern about absorption of gluten through the skin? How do we know what to look for when evaluating skincare products for ingredients containing gluten? Following is an overview and summary of information recently compiled on this topic:

What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac Disease is not a food allergy – it is an autoimmune disease. Food allergies, including wheat allergy, are conditions that people can sometimes grow out of. This is not the case with Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease (CD) is unique in that a specific food component, gluten, has been identified as the trigger. When individuals with CD eat gluten, the villi (tiny hair-like projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food) are damaged. This is due to an autoimmune reaction to gluten. Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH) is the skin manifestation of celiac disease characterized by blistering, intensely itchy skin.  DH patients can have intestinal damage without obvious gastrointestinal symptoms.¹

Can gluten be absorbed into the body through the skin?
Mayo Clinics states that gluten is absorbed by the digestive tract and cannot be absorbed by the skin, so those following a gluten-free diet do not need to be concerned about using gluten-free skincare.  However, their article cautions that products containing gluten should not be applied to the lips or about the mouth as they might be accidentally consumed.²

Since many skincare products are applied to the facial area and/or are deposited there by touching the face, we suggest that it is indeed possible to inadvertently ingest gluten via skincare products.

Do skincare labels tell us what we need to know?
Not necessarily.

Science Daily recently reported on a study from George Washington University: Information About Cosmetic Ingredients is Difficult to Obtain: A Potential Hazard for Celiac Patients. The study focused on the top 10 cosmetic companies in the United States in order to evaluate the availability of information about cosmetic ingredients and the accessibility of gluten-free products.

“While information on the ingredients of food products has become increasingly available, recent reports have revealed that the use of some cosmetics, including products used on the lips and face, can result in unexpected exposure to gluten,” said researchers Marie L. Borum, MD, EdD, MPH and Pia Prakash, MD, of George Washington University. “The findings are alarming because gluten-containing cosmetics can be inadvertently obtained by the consumer and use of these products can result in an exacerbation of celiac disease,” said Dr. Prakash. “This study revealed that information about the ingredients, including the potential gluten content, in cosmetics is not readily available.”³

What about natural soaps?
In general, we suggest a conservative approach:

• If a product does not provide a complete list of ingredients, don’t use it.
• Look for products with a short list of recognizable ingredients.
• Avoid wheat germ oil, spices, colorants and synthetic ingredients.
• Oats should also be avoided; though oats don’t contain gluten, they are often processed in facilities that also process gluten-containing products.
• Tocopheral (vitamin E) is used as a natural preservative in some products. This ingredient is most often derived from vegetable oil, such as soybean oil, however it can also come from wheat germ oil.
• If you’re not sure about a product choice, check with your healthcare provider.
• If you experience an adverse reaction from a skincare product, discontinue use immediately and check with your healthcare provider.

Is there a certification for gluten free skincare?
We have not been able to identify one governing body through with skincare products as certified as gluten free.  Dr. Hauschka Skin Care states that 120 of their products have been certified as gluten free by the German Celiac Society⁴, and Hugo Naturals is listed as having received the Celiac Sprue Association Recognition Seal.⁵

The products are offered at Soaps by Nature are not considered certified gluten free. However, we do include complete listings of ingredients to assist our customers to make appropriate choices.  Most of the handcrafted soap companies we work with offer options which, to the best of their knowledge, do not include ingredients containing gluten.

Here is a partial list of their suggestions:

• Heirloom Soapworks Lemon Drop Soap
• Naiad Soap Arts all natural soaps, including Lemongrass and French Lavender
• Peterman Brook Herb Farm Sea Buckthorn Soap
• Susan’s Soaps and More soaps, except Carrot Complexion Soap (flour is added) and Almond Oatmeal
• Thornapple Ridge Soaps Shea Butter Soap and Goat Milk Basic

If you have a question about the gluten-free status of any product at Soaps by Nature, just let us know. We’ll gladly check with the soap company and advise.

Sources
¹Celiac.org accessed at http://www.celiac.org
²Mayoclinic.com accessed at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/AN01623
³Sciencedaily.com accessed at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031114941.htm on 11/28/2011
⁴Dr. Hauschka Skin Care accessed at http://www.drhauschka.com/natural-skin-care-and-remedies/ingredients/gluten-free_products.aspx
⁵Celiac Sprue Association accessed at http://www.csaceliacs.info/csa_recognition_seal.jsp