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Amy said:

>>This may sound strange, but as a fairly new Celiac I'm trying to
>>absorb all this information and I have one question about non-food
>>items.  I thought CD was a intestinal problem with gluten getting in
>>to the intestine and damaging the villi.  Now, how does a skin care
>>product affect the intestine, if it were absorbed thru the skin,
>>wouldn't it be in the bloodstream?  Maybe someone could help me
>>understand this.

In reply, Donald D. Kasarda (FDA) said:

>I am not personally aware of any published evidence that gluten
>exposure by way of the skin is harmful to celiac patients....In
>previous postings to this list, some celiac patients reported kneading
>wheat flour doughs and baking wheat bread for non-celiac family
>members without noticing any effects or problems....In the absence of
>solid information showing harmful effects from gluten containing skin
>products, it is difficult for me to understand why they should be
>avoided by celiac patients.

Now, I HAVE heard of celiacs getting ill from cooking with wheat flour.
I have also heard of a woman getting ill from using wheat-germ shampoo
while on vacation.  Only stories they may be, but have there been any
studies done to see if there is a reaction to gluten introduced into
the celiac body in ways other than digestion?  Just because it is
"difficult...to understand" how epidermal absorption of gluten could be
harmful does not mean that something isn't going on.