How Should Individuals with Celiac Approach Cosmetics and Other Materials?

The only effective and known method of celiac treatment is a gluten-free diet. This has led many celiacs to focus on food-based gluten exposure. On the other hand, individuals with celiac should be cautious about gluten in foods as well as other products such as plastics, oral care products, medicines and cosmetics. In today’s topic, we will guide you in the most correct way about how we should approach non-food-based products. Gluten can contain gluten in different forms in personal care products (toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, shampoo) and cosmetics (lipstick, lip balm, lip gloss, body lotion, powder, deodorant). Even if you do not swallow these products, they are more likely to ingest residues, especially from lipsticks, lip balms, and toothpastes. However, in some studies with cosmetics that are not taken orally, it has been stated that it is harmful for individuals with celiac disease. Gluten does not have to be strictly declared in cosmetics. Therefore, follow the steps below to determine whether the cosmetic product you are looking for and want to buy is suitable for you:

• Make sure that there are no phrases such as ‘wheat’, ‘barley’, ‘oats’, ‘triticum vulgare’, ‘grain’, ‘avena sativa’, ‘hordeum vulgare’ in the product content. 
• Check the contents of the product after unpacking, as some packages are too small to include all the information on the product’s label. 
• Before ordering the product, contact the cosmetics company and ask if their product contains any gluten ingredients such as wheat, barley, rye or oats. 
• It is best to purchase products that are specified as gluten-free.

Cardboard and plastic materials used in packaging, service and presentation may also contain gluten. The name gluten actually comes from the root of the word glue, which means glue. Its use outside the food sector is quite common in the plastic and rubber industry due to its stickiness, water-retaining, flexibility, and thickening properties. Individuals with celiac should be very sensitive in this regard. Gluten is used to provide the sticky part of the curved parts of the cardboard cups and the adhesive part of the letter envelopes. For this reason, individuals with celiac may be exposed to gluten intake regularly when using such equipment, although they sometimes think that they follow their food intake and diet strictly. Do not prefer cardboard cups, close the envelopes without licking them. Particular attention should be paid to the use of play materials for children. Play doughs and juicy ones are also risky in terms of gluten. Normally, when playing with gluten-containing game materials, if your hand does not go to your mouth and you wash your hands, there is no harm in using these materials. But in childhood it is very difficult to control children in this way and to make sure that they do not put their hand to their mouth. Therefore, when buying play materials for your children, make sure that they are gluten-free. Before taking your medication, be sure to tell your doctor that you have celiac disease. Evaluate each new drug. Ask your pharmacist about the active and inactive ingredients of the drug. Always ask your doctor to include the phrase ‘must be gluten-free’ on your medication. When using vitamin – mineral supplements, make sure that they are gluten-free.

Dietitian İrem Erdem