
/GettyImages-1215848587-ca87df3fbaab4b14848daa82ee2f88b6.jpg)
There are a few side effects of dapsone to be aware of too. Remember however that DH lesions will come back if the drug is not taken before the GFD is in effect. This tablet must be swallowed and will help to control the symptoms, which will start working within days. Initially, in addition to the GFD, it is advisable to use a specific antibacterial medication called dapsone. It can also take another 1-2 years for the body to completely adjust to the gluten-free diet alone.

In fact, it can take close to 6 months for your skin to show signs of improvement. However, compared to the intestines' response to a gluten-free diet (GFD) with celiac disease, the skin’s response to a gluten-free diet takes a lot longer. It requires a life-long commitment to strictly and completely avoid eating gluten-containing foods – exactly the same as managing celiac disease. How Do You Treat Dermatitis Herpetiformis?ĭH treatment is not just a one-off exercise.

It can also be misdiagnosed for another condition, such as herpes (hence the name “herpetiformis” meaning “like an Herpes”), eczema, and hives. One of the reasons DH is often misdiagnosed by healthcare professionals is because it shares similar symptoms with other rashes and outbreaks, like an allergic reaction, or skin conditions caused by insect or mosquito bites. Please be mindful that some patients with DH do not have a positive blood test for celiac disease: the condition however carries the same risks of celiac disease, if untreated.

To ensure that the test results are accurate, it is important to eat gluten-based foods until the biopsy is completed. If doctors find traces of these antibodies, the skin biopsy is positive and the diagnosis of DH is final.Įven though DH is considered “the celiac disease of the skin”, 60 percent of people living with DH don’t experience diarrhea, constipation or stomach pain but the majority of them will have the same damage to the gut as with celiac disease. Specifically, doctors would be looking for neutrophils and granular deposits of the Immunoglobulin (IgA) antibody. How Can You Diagnose Dermatitis Herpetiformis?ĭoctors and medical professionals can diagnose DH by obtaining a tiny piece of the skin with a biopsy and closely examining cells underneath the top layer, known as the dermal papillae. It’s also most commonly found in those of European descent while being exceedingly rare among African-Americans and Asian-Americans. It is quite rare, but not impossible, for children to develop DH. Founder of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease CenterĭH is also more commonly found in men than women.
