Gluten Allergy

Dear Scratch Pad

The backs of my hands and fingers were covered with eczema. I tried everything over the course of four years and had little tubes of prescription medication littering my bathroom cupboard. These topical steroids were just small fixes that ended up thinning my skin. If I dried my hands with a towel and was too abrasive, my hands would end up bleeding. After some research, I decided to try a gluten-free diet. Now, my hands are almost completely clear and have been that way for the year and a half that I have followed the diet. If I accidentally eat gluten, my eczema will be back in about three days (but not as severe). As difficult as it was at the beginning to avoid gluten, it has been completely worth it and has become just part of life.

Erin Jeffries

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The recommendations contained in the Scratch Pad are those of the contributor.  NEA provides health information from a variety of sources; this information is not intended as medical advice.  Persons with questions regarding specific symptoms or treatments should consult a professional health-care provider.