<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Recently, there was a post which asked about reactions to gluten-containing products in non-food items, like shampoo or skin cream. The listowners asked for comments from the CEL-PRO subscribers, who are clinicians and/or researchers in the celiac field, and received these two: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While most celiacs are unlikely to have a reaction to topical gluten there are some individuals who claim to get a reaction to these non-food substances. For a gut reaction it would seem that it is necessary for the substance to get to the gut lumen. I am not aware of any studies on the penetrance of topical substances to gut lumen. ... I tell celiac patients who ask, that if there is an easy alternative shampoo/ cosmetic/etc. use the non gluten containing substance. I do not routinely counsel patients about avoiding gluten in these substances. I have met some patients who have an anaphylactoid response to gluten and these patients I tell to avoid gluten in all forms. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are countless coeliacs who several times a week have dermal contact with gluten. These are coeliacs who bake for the rest of the family with regular flour. In my experience ( an adult coeliac clinic of well over 500 patients) none of the many coeliacs who do home baking for the rest of their families with gluten containing flour develop symptoms, either in the GI tract or the skin. I not aware of baking being associated with poor response to a gluten free diet. Topical gluten in the upper airways causes symptoms of allergic rhinitis in an occasional patients. I have always assumed this to be due to coexistent atopy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These are the views of just two celiac professionals, and not the result of tens of scientific studies. In the early days of this CELIAC list, there were an number of posts claiming serious reactions, so not everyone will agree with these doctors. As with so many other issues, each Celiac must make their own decision. Having read these, I will still try to avoid obvious gluten-containing non-food items for my Celiac son, but if none are available, I will probably go ahead and use the gluten product. Bill Elkus Los Angeles