new to the gluten free journey?
new to the gluten free journey?
Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition where the pigment producing cells in the skin are attacked by the person’s immune system. It leads to a bleaching effect of the skin. A group of doctors in Spain recently reported on a case of celiac disease and vitiligo in a young girl.
We present a case of repigmentation of vitiligo lesions in a girl with celiac disease after initiating a gluten-free diet
This is another example of the benefits of a gluten free diet in patients with diagnosed autoimmune disease. In this particular patient, the loss of skin pigmentation was reversed with a simple diet change.
But my dermatologist told me that diet has nothing to do with my skin.
Unfortunately, this is a message that too many patients hear. Remember that the skin grows from the inside out not from the outside in. If you put food in your body that is not good for you, that you are intolerant to, that you are allergic to, etc. it can and does create skin problems.
Here is a list of skin conditions known to be caused by gluten and other food allergies/intolerance/sensitivities:
If you have a mysterious skin condition and don’t know why consider being tested for gluten sensitivity and other food allergies. I commonly see skin conditions in my office resolve after eliminating toxic foods. The medical alternative (typically topical steroids) is not a solution, only a cover up.
All the best,
Dr. Osborne – AKA The Gluten Free Warrior
148 Responses
My doctor diagnosed aneamia from annual medical blood tests in early 90’s. My wife, bless her, spent weeks researching what little inforemation was available at that time, and concluded that I am gluten-intolerant. The gluten-free diet quickly resolved the anaemia and miraculously other medical issues also resolved – vitiligo, skin rash, unexplained fatigue. And my family are grateful that my gas issue was resolved also!
I’m delighted to see that knowledge on this subject is vastly improved.
I am 48 and have had slowly progressing vitiligo for 15 years. A year ago I went GF and my vitiligo has slowly gotten better in some, but not all areas. If you have vitiligo and are considering going GF I suggest you give a GF diet a chance. But take pictures so you can verify any progress and don’t expect immediate results. Then again it took me 15 years for my vitiligo to progress to this degree so it may take that long to regain all.of my pigmentation…but hopefully not!
Hi….I have a 12 yr old daughter that was diagnose with vitiligo a few yrs back. Her spots have grown so much over the course of one yr. …I have refuse to do any steroids or laser on her. My daughter is extremely picky eater and refuses to eat almost no vegetables or any type of beans, fish and very few fruits. I have been reading some on gluten free diet and all the vitamins she’s probably missing because of her bad diet. I have started a change to some gluten free foods and a low carb diet. Started cooking mostly at home and more organic. I have faith that the diet changes will help her. The only way I get her to eat some vegetables is in several different green smoothies mixed with fruit. My goal is to one day remove processed foods completely. I need some suggestions on or if I should consult someone in regards to me changing her diet. I think it will be a while before we are 100% gluten free but a start is a start and I hope to have some success. Please share any advice that might help me. Thanks in advanced.
Hi, as a mom of picky eater with eczema, and slight vitiligo spots, I feel your pain. We know it is due to diet, so you start blaming yourself when yoi are not able to get healtier foods down their throats 😅
My son has not been diagnosed with celiac like I have and is obsessed with wheat. He has no other issues like digestive issues, so I don’t want to self diagnose it for him. His eczema seems to be more linked to food colorings. And his vitiligo spots are miniscule compared to mine and usually only there for a 6mo to a year after.
Anyways, important advice I coild share for getting them to eat healthier, is to not have processed snacks in the house at all, try to do groceries without the kids. They eat dinner so much better if they haven’t snacked all day. Stil it takes them forever to get used to new foods, but when you insist on at least trying a bite at every meal, they get used to tastes and texture. American processed sbacks and foods have such soft and bland or cruchy and bland texture that real food cruch like carrots or the liquid bursts of berries are gross to kids who are used to processed foods.
I always have apples and berries etc in the house and thank god my son loves those. He usually onky pics the meat from his dinner, but I make him some of his forkfuls. I am an expert in hiding veggies in soups and stews. They don’t really detect them there.
A friend on mine whose daughter hates texture of meat, cooks muffins with overdose of eggs, rice with bone stock which is great nutrition for people with leaky gut syndrome.
Hello my name is Pato and I have vitiligo since I was 30 and now 12 years later is worse than ever, and just today told me paleo diet and i know only is guten free, and I read that you can not eat eggs and nut ..?..p
Please i need help, i don’t know what i can eat? Iam very depressed and this has made me hope
Tks
Hello my name is Pato and I have vitiligo since I was 30 and now 12 years later is worse than ever, and just today told me paleo diet and i know only is guten free, and I read that you can not eat eggs and nut ..?..p
Please i need help, i don’t know what i can eat? Iam very depressed and this has made me hope
Tks
Hi everyone, im 22 and started getting Vitiligo just over a year ago. Its something I wont accept and really gets me down. I am so excited that there is so many people that have seen results with a gluten free diet.Im on day 1. I do also go for UVB phototherapy and have pigment coming back. Hopefully this diet will make it come back even quicker. 🙂
Hi, I am in the process of becoming a dietitian and I want to investigate further if there is a correlation between diet and vitiligo. My husband currently has vitiligo and I want to do anything to help him with his repigmentation. If you would like to talk more about diet and vitiligo, please contact me at my e-mail rvela89@utexas.edu Thank you!
Hi Candice, very keen to hear if you are still following gluten free diet and if you have seen any changes , esp any repigmentation ? And please don’t let this get down. There are lot of other people in the same situation and our collective prayers are with you !!
i think i am gluten free..i have the rashes, sick every time i eat, gas, bloating, the pigment of the skin just started..the rashes r coming more often..& they r so itchy…when it is hot i itch more..i don’t have insurance can’t afford it & no money to see a doctor…so do u think
Another skin condition that goes away by going gluten free is Granuloma Anulare.
I have been diagnosis with Lichen Planopilaris. Also called Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia I am losing my front hair ear to ear! It is itchy,flaky and leave a scar. I had blood test for gluten and yeast but all negative. But I was off gluten for a month and I felt so better and my symptom reduced by 90%!! Now I am trying to stop coffee and dairy which I think that plays part too. I just wondering if anyone has similar experience? I really want to know if I am doing the right thing? Please email me thanks.
Thanks for sharing your positive gluten free experience Marta!
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
Dr. Osborne, thank you for your support and sharing of useful information. Can you please tell me the role of alcohol in Vitiligo, is there one type of it better or worse? I developed vitiligo 5 years ago and I am about to start trying GF diet along with supplementation and Bone Marrow broth, but since I enjoy a glass of wine with my diner I would like to know if that would be ok.
Bolfi,
I do not recommend alcohol for anyone with vitiligo. Alcohol can serve as a trigger for autoimmune disease. Additionally, it effects the liver’s ability to function, which can in turn burden the skin’s role in detoxification. On top of that, many alcohols are derived from grain.
Hope this is helpful.
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
Dr Osborne,
Thanks for the information on vitiligo. Finally someone use the word vitiligo.
I to have been diagnosed with vitiligo and the dermatologists all want to give me lotions and steroids and tell me that there is no science that say that vitiligo is caused by diet. How can I work with you to solve my problem. Are you taking new patients at this time? Thanks.
Sylvia
Sylvia,
Thanks for writing in. I would be happy to help you. Just call my office at 281-240-2229 and ask for Debbie to set up an appointment with me.
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
Thanks for replying. Dr Osborne, Can you please explain to me if this horrible disease Lichen Planopilaris has something to do with gluten? Is it curable at all? how common is it?
I am 32 and I have vitiligo since I was 7. Its cover me around 70% of my body. The last 2 years I have beed doing macrobiotic diet, but I haven’t got any improvement. Now, since 2 months more or less, I have started new diet without gluten, nor lactose, nor sugar. I start seeing good advances in my white patches 🙂 Now I don’t know if it would be prefer not to eat neither all type of grains, like for example buckwheat. Can anyone give me her/his opinion?
Thank you and good luck!
Ainara,
Here is a list of foods you should be trying to avoid to improve your situation:
Gluten Free Food List <<<
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
I am saddened by this article. There is no silver bullet for vitiligo and anyone who promises one is wrong.
I wish things were different but there is no cure for vitiligo. The reference of one case that happened to cure vitiligo is considered -anecdotal evidence-.
Evangelos,
You should be ecstatic. Anecdotal evidence is no less scientific than research studies. And where did you see “a promise” in the article. No one is stating that a gluten free diet can cure or reverse all cases of vitiligo. That being said, isn’t diet change with a shot?
All the best,
Dr. O
I am 35 years old and have had vitiligo since I was 24. I also have hypothyroidism. I have tried several treatments as in the last few years it has gotten worse. When I came across this blog I decided to test for glutein sensitivity which came back negative.. So do u think this diet would still help my vitiligo?
I developed vitiligo at 18. I am now 34 and its gotten bad on my hands and foot. I also have it on the sides of both breasts. I hate what this condition has done to me. I’m not an extreme case and I know it sounds stupid, but people have always expected me to be pretty. I feel like the hot girl thats really damaged goods once you take her derma blend makeup off. I used to do hair and quit so people don’t see my hands. I now bartend where the light are low, and train horses where I can wear gloves and that community doesn’t care about stuff like that… I’m just now getting into this gluten free thing the last few weeks. I feel maybe part of my vitiligo is having a very processed and crappy diet for since I can remember after my dad died, which I heard stress trauma can also be a trigger for this disease. It has been hard but I am finally just about to the point I have become totally gluten free. I am also taking all the probio, bioclense, and multivitamin from Plexus. I pre make salads for the week and add chicken salmon or tuna on them everyday and make a fruit and yogurt smoothie every morning with goat milk coconut oil and spinach in it. Then dinner is some meat (mostly organic) and a vegi. The only hard part is letting go of my pita for my hummus and tabouli wrap I eat as a snack everyday.. There are so many contradicting rules on line with the whole candida leaky gut thing as well associated with vitiligo so for now I’m also staying away from yeast sugar and potato. I would like to ask though, is it the worst thing if I stay strict on this but not give up my 1 cup of coffee in the morning or that brownie or glass of wine a few times a week??? Also, I see rice is a no no, so is brown rice flour pasta out of the question?? Praying this is the right combination to cure this.
Yes Jennifer,
Rice can definitely be a problem. Hang in there and keep going!
All the best,
Dr. O
Doctor I have scattered vitiligo all over my body. I am suffering from last 7-8 years and have tried so many medicines but nothing worked.I want to start gluten free diet . Please let me know if I can take rice instead of wheat and also do I have to leave milk products also.
Manpreet,
Rice would be problematic. I would recommend avoiding it as well as dairy.
Let us know how your skin condition improves.
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
Hi Dr. Osborne – Why would rice be a problem? Rice is gluten free. I would love to know, I have an uncle and a friend who are suffering from Vitiligo and I am on a mission to help find a cure for them! Thank you, Susan
Susan,
Yes,
Rice is a problem. It has a form of gluten protein in it, even though it is often considered gluten free. Rice also contain elevated levels of the heavy metals cadmium and arsenic, as well as high quantities of pesticide. Definitely a grain to be avoided.
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
I’m 18. And it has been 6 months that I have got a few vitiligo spots on my hands. Can anyone suggest me how to stop it and recover?
My daughter (9 years old) was diagnosed with vitiligo and auto immune b12 issue. It was moving everywhere over her body rapidly. The summer, swimming and such was making it awful and red and growing bigger. I researched everywhere for day and night – because I was not going to believe that there was not a way that I could help her. The top tradional doctors at the Childrens hospital wanted her to continue to take light treatments and steriods. I would not use them on her. I turned her completly gluten free and she is allergic to dairy, eggs and pineapples too. I limit those and she takes fish oils, probiotics and digestive enzemes. She was repigmented like crazy. She is been seen by tons of doctors who cannot believe the progress and they constantly take pictures and all kinds of information. She has changed the way the local doctors are seeing their patients and the blood tests for new patients. I was at wits end and I couldnt be happier to have helped many people that have someone in their life with Vitiligo. You must be ready to change your life and make it a NEW NORMAL – my husband and I eat it with her as well and we feel wonderful. Please go gluten free – it will change everything!
100% agree. Similar story for me. Wife has also benefitted and learned to eat better, as a result of my behavior.
Hi Tammy — How long were was your daughter gluten-free before repigmentation started? My 12 year old also has vitiligo all over, also made worse by swimming pools. She was been gluten-free nearly 6 months and dairy/egg free for about 6 weeks, and we still have no response. Looking for some positive reinforcement!!!
Humaira
I am from India.i have vitiligo since 5 yrs.i have tried all the medication.uva,laser,homeopathy,ayurveda but there is no change in my vitiligo spots.my condition is getting worse day by day.i am fed up now.many dietry restrictions but i didnt try glutin free diet yet.i will start soon.may be it will help.can anybody tell me which type of fruits i can eat.because mostly feuits are sour like oranges,mangoes,apple etc.then which fruits i can have.vitamin c reduces melanin formation but mostly fruit have vitamin c but vitamin c is very important for our immune system
And doctors told me to avoid taking vit c.i am confused what should i eat and what not but any how i want to get rid off my vitiligo.pls can anybody suggest.
Sonia – She saw repigmentation within a few weeks. But, she also takes probiotics and fish oil daily. She also took glutagentics to repair the lining of her gut where they said her immune system was shot – and that sped things up – I believe
Hi dr, my son 6 yrs old is diagnosed with vitiligo. He has at the fingers of right hand. He has also halo nevus in his back. I am crazing to find help for him. I want to start gluten and diary free diet. Is safe this for young children? Maybe they need gluten to grow or not?? Thank a lot to all that you have shared all this info.
Theres a clinic in Germany that cures it and repigment starts again,it involves supplements,uvb light and other foods
hi every one I am Vitiligo person can anyone replie me for the treatment and I want to know about GLUTEN FREE DIET please suggest me raaj398@gmail.com thanx..
sorry my email is typed wrong raaj399@gmail.com
My daughter vitiligo at just two months. Is it possible for gluten to be trasferred throught breastmilk?
Andrea,
Yes gluten can pass from breast milk. Here is an article on the topic for you to read <<<
All the best,
Dr. Osborne
I have Vitiligo on fingertips from last 20 years. It was stopped for couple of year and I tried surgical grafting treatment which didn’t help me. Now after 5 years spots started spreading slowly on hand, I guess stress might be the main culprit. Because recently I observed I was stressed for 3 days and saw a small new white patch. I was also diagnosed with Hypothyroidism 4 years back (Don’t know if it existed before). I haven’t tested myself with Celiac or Gluten sensitivity but always had some issues with my bowel movement. Now started Gluten free diet. My question is I am trying my best to be on gluten free diet, but what if there is some cross contamination occurs? Do I really need to be strictly 100% gluten free without cross contamination or some contamination or even some gluten is fine. I guess leaky gut might be the culprit for Vitiligo but to treat Leaky gut how much gluten do I need to avoid?
Any suggestion would be helpful. Please let me know if you have this condition or know someone who does and have seen good results, because Dr told me that treating Vitiligo on fingertips is very difficult
Hi, Im from Sweden and I have had vitiligo since I was around 4-5 years old.
Here you talk a lot of glutenfree diet and thats a kind of Trend in Stockholm/Sweden to eat very clean, no carbs or gluten and absolutley no white sugar.
My question is, what do you (Dr. Osborne) say about correalation vitiligo vs. Gluten AND sugar? I think sugar is the worst kind of thing everyone can put into their body, even if you don’t have vitiligo. What do you say?
I was diagnosed as a coeliac 31 years ago and have followed a gluten free diet since. My sister and niece are also coeliacs. 2 years ago vitiligo appeared on my arm. Explain that…
Fiona, Gluten isn’t the only culprit. You may have a Leaky Gut, which can also be influence by things like alcohol, processed sugar, legumes, processed oils, etc. Your leaky gut will not heal by removing gluten alone, you will need to remove other toxic items from your diet as well.
Just looking to see if there are any current threads. Last one looks like May 18, 2017.
Hi Nan
How is your vitiligo condition. Iam following same method.gluten free, night shade free, paleo diet for last two weeks
.
I have read your blog and the gluten free experiences of people here.I have vitiligo for 30 years.ı had it when ı was chlid.ı had lots of treatment and it worked little.and spreaded.ı was encourged and impressed form the people doing gluten free and repigmenting.so ı started too.for 10 days only and a bit repigmentation is occuring.I am too happy and will continue doing this. Did we suffer from vitiligo in nonsense??because of the foods only.stress is weak in my opinion of its cause.Thank you to all…..
I was diagnosed with vitiligo at the age of 13. What a time in my young life to get such a thing. Under stress, I would get hives and eczema, and a bad case of dandruff that would not go away.
Just a few years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and was ordered by my GI to go on a strict gluten – free diet.
I’ve been on it and I am happy to report that I have repigmentation on my hands and feet around the naiils and along the boxer of my hands and feet. I me, this is a miracle!!!
No Head and Shoulders, Selsun Blue, or any other dandruff shampoo could solve my bad dandruff on my scalp and eye brows. The gluten free diet cleared out up. Now I know if it returns its because I got glutened.
Stress to the body by the inflammation caused by gluten caused these things to me for decades.
Now at age 61,I have taken my life back and I’m beginning to feel normal again.
Finding out that I am Celiac did not destroy my life but have me my life back.
If you have similar symptoms, I urge you to get tested for celiac.
Amazing story Joe!
Thanks for sharing with the Gluten Free Society community!
All the best,
Dr. O
Interesting to see this link between gluten and vitiligo being discussed. My daughter has developed this condition within the past couple of years and it’s really difficult to get any information about the underlying factors. I’ll add my own observation. I had her switch to a regime where any wheat products had to be heirloom grains. It’s only been a couple of months but she has said that the condition has clearly stabilized and some minor joint pain has also gone away. Heirloom grains are VERY difficult to find in the US but easier to find from European sources. I have a suspicion that the problem is both the types of grains grown in N. America and that fact that they’re literally laced with glyphosate. Not only is glyphosate used as a herbicide but commercial producers actually spray it directly on the harvested wheat as a desiccant.