What is the connection between the skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and celiac disease?
Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) – an itchy, blistering skin condition – occurs in association with celiac disease. The painful rash of DH may appear anywhere, but usually on the knees, elbows and/or buttocks. Interestingly, many individuals with DH do not have digestive symptoms of celiac disease. What’s more, nearly half of those with DH do not test positive when their blood samples are analyzed. Even so, they almost always have the same intestinal damage as people with celiac disease. DH is confirmed through a skin biopsy – the removal and testing of a small piece of skin near the rash. The presence of the IgA antibody confirms a diagnosis of DH and, by extension, celiac disease. Thus, if you have DH, you almost certainly have celiac disease. Though you would need to begin following a gluten-free diet, we would advise seeing our celiac disease specialists first, as additional baseline testing may be helpful for future management.
