| Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH) is a skin disorder | | | | There are many factors that affect a person's |
| strongly associated with gluten hypersensitivity. | | | | vulnerability to gluten. Some may tolerate gluten |
| This skin disorder is auto immune in nature, | | | | and eat grains which are filled with this kind f |
| attacking the skin like how inflammation takes | | | | protein while others may have a different kind of |
| place in an allergic episode. This condition is | | | | reaction when gluten is ingested. Some who are |
| characterized by severe inflammation of the skin | | | | hypersensitive to this protein might even develop |
| followed by blistering, excoriations and urticarial | | | | another kind of gluten hypersensitivity which |
| plaques. The typical places for these lesions are | | | | targets the digestive system which is known as |
| found in prominently bony areas such as the | | | | Celiac Disease. A study shows that large |
| back, knees, elbows and buttocks. | | | | populations of those affected with Celiac Disease |
| This condition is often very pruritic or itchy and | | | | are also affected by DH. If left untreated, this |
| the lesions are often at risk to infection due to | | | | chronic inflammation could eventually cause |
| the chronic urge to scratch. In order tp make a | | | | greater complications such as skin infections that |
| proper diagnosis of this skin disorder, there would | | | | could even prove lethal. |
| be various tests needed such as biopsies to rule | | | | DH and Celiac Disease are likely to develop other |
| out other diseases that cause skin excoriation and | | | | kinds of conditions as well. Celiac Disease if left |
| inflammation. While it is true that some people | | | | untreated could lead to various lymphomas which |
| may not feel the symptoms, a large number of | | | | are likely to become cancerous. Lympho |
| people are hypersensitive to gluten and its | | | | proliferative kind of cancers are also likely to |
| derivatives. Among this population, an estimated | | | | develop among those who have developed DH. |
| of 15-25 patients with celiac disease are likely to | | | | The prevalence of this disease just like Celiac |
| develop DH. The only intervention possible for this | | | | Disease is also idiopathic and nature. However, |
| disorder would be a gluten free diet and the use | | | | Several factors can contribute to the |
| of prescribed steroids to reduce the inflammation | | | | development of this condition. Some would include |
| taking place. | | | | race, gender, and heredity. DH is likely to develop |
| DH is triggered by the chronic deposition of | | | | among Europeans who are more exposed to |
| immune globulin A when a patient is constantly | | | | gluten because of their diet of wheat, barley and |
| exposed to gluten. This then develops an immune | | | | rye. On the other hand, Asians and Africans may |
| response that attacks the skin, resulting in severe | | | | or may not develop this condition. DH can affect |
| inflammation and vesicular lesions especially in | | | | more women that men because of their constant |
| places where bones are quite prominent. | | | | exposure to cosmetics with gluten derivatives. |