Also known as “celiac rash”, this is a severe, chronic skin rash associated with celiac disease. It is intensely itchy, and only resolves on the gluten-free diet, though certain medications may ease the pain.
One of my only recurring symptoms was dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). The problem was it was usually isolated with no other issues. My whole life, I always thought it was just from injuries, skinning my knees so frequently in sports, or playing near poison ivy.
One year ago, I broke out in what I thought was hives from stress. Throughout this year, the rash has moved to different spots on my body and actually changes characteristics as it “morphs.” The rash is now blistery patches that fill up and hurt and pop on my nose daily.
I would have outbreaks of small patches of a very itchy rash on various parts of my body, most often on my feet. Dietary changes have since calmed my symptoms, but I still have the occasional flare-up, mostly during the hot summer months when my feet are bound by heavy work boots all day.
It was the itchiest thing ever! It burned and bled…disgusting. It got worse and worse and spread to every part of me but my face. The rash at 41 was the most miserable thing I’ve experienced physically, but it was a blessing in the sense that it finally led to the right diagnosis.
I was perfectly healthy until I started developing a painful and itchy rash all over that got progressively more severe over time. After visiting dozens of dermatologists who had no clue what was wrong, one finally recommended getting tested for celiac disease and cutting out gluten, and the healing was almost instant.
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