How Dangerous Are Cosmetics and Skin Care Products to Celiac Patients?

Can skin and beauty products be absorbed by the skin?

Although it may not seem like it, gluten lurks in various beauty and skin care products that are currently on the market, whether it be certain toners, make-up, body washes and lotion. Because of this, there has been a growing concern among the celiac disease community, especially with those who have dematitis herpetiformis.

The presence of easily absorbed skin care products adds to the concern of gluten products. Also, some manufacturers mislabel their products or use Latin (e.g. Avena Sativa for Oats) on their labels, which causes even more confusion to celiac patients who are looking for products that are safe to use.  

As to the question of whether or not these products can be absorbed by the skin, the answer is a definite yes!

After all, that is why they exist in the first place—to supplement beauty. However, celiac patients fear that along with these products are traces of gluten that can be absorbed through the skin, which may trigger the a flare of the disease.

Despite the fear, experts like Michael F Picco, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic claim that they would be no serious problem unless these products are ingested in large amounts. The safety level of gluten consumption for celiac patients remains at 10 milligrams. While this does not seem like much, cosmetics and skin care products have a very low amount of gluten, if they have any ( around 1-5%). Experts also claim that the protein molecule is too large for the skin to actually absorb.

What celiac patients need to look after are the products that may be swallowed unintentionally. These may include lipstick, lotion, and some dental products like toothpaste and mouthwash. Just like consuming gluten-rich food, eliminating gluten in your system will clear up any manifestation of celiac, including dermatitis herpetiformis.

Today, the cosmetic industry is known to be inclusive. However, celiac patients still feel halfhearted with most companies. The only way to manage the disease right now is to avoid ingesting products with gluten, so patients and loved ones want to be extremely careful with what they buy for use. 

Read on to learn more about how dangerous it actually is to use beauty products that contain gluten.