By Simon Yu MD
Skin care is a big business for cosmetic industries, anti-aging medicine, dermatology and pharmaceutical giants. New psoriasis and eczema treatments called Biologics are leading many TV commercials. Skin is the largest outer surface sensory organ in the body, metabolically active with the sophisticated immune complex system to protect your body. Changes in skin over time can represent the spectrum from simple normal aging and simple contact rashes to more advanced disease manifesting as melanoma, or a source of chronic migrating parasite infections causing unsightly disfiguring skin lesions.
Have you seen the latest “Biologic” medications for psoriasis and/or eczema that sound like truly a new solution seen in TV commercials? What is a “biologic” medication? These medications alter the immune system in a way that disrupts the disease cycle and improves signs and symptoms of disease within weeks. Eczema is considered a milder version of atopic dermatitis with itchy skin, rash, and often skin irritation from scratching and secondary skin infection. Psoriasis is more severe than eczema with scaly plaques and is often associated with arthralgia (pain), psoriatic arthritis.
The majority of skin diseases have their origins in unrecognized infections, toxins, or food allergies or sensitivities. Skin rashes that are exacerbated by sugars, fake sugars, gluten, and/or yeasts can develop due to gut imbalances and overgrowth of fungi and yeasts, and require healing and restoring a healthy “biological terrain” and microbiome, including the oral cavity, gut, and more. The acupuncture point representing the skin is located on the middle toe and may pick up signals when patients have psoriasis, eczema, or surgical scars. A disturbance of the skin meridian is often associated with concurrent disturbance at the allergy points, circulation, and large intestine (LI) and/or small intestine (SI) meridians. When you balance LI and SI meridians with appropriate parasite medications, skin conditions often improve as a side benefit without using costly biologics.
What is a biologic, and are biologic medications safe? Biologic drugs and Biosimilar drugs include a wide variety of products derived from human, animal, or microorganism sources by using biotechnology. They can be manufactured in, extracted from, or semi-synthesized from biological sources. Some examples of biologics include hormones, blood products, cytokines, growth factors, vaccines, gene and cellular therapies, fusion proteins, insulin, interferon, and monoclonal antibody (mAb) products. Patients receive biologics mainly by injection under the skin (subcutaneously), or by intravenous infusion. FDA defines and regulates biologics.
The most well-known biologics for psoriasis include apremilast (Otezla), etanercept (Enbrel), infliximab (Remicade), adalimumbab (Humira), secukinumab (Cosentyx) and more. TV commercials are bombarded with new biologics. Some of them are approved for children. I have minimal experience using biologics but there are some concerns for side effects of immunosuppression that can trigger pre-existing conditions or a full-blown medical mystery you did not know you had all along. For example, it could be that a Covid-19 infection or vaccination triggers an unexpected biological chain reaction and autoimmune response for some when on these medications: a high price to pay for a moderate benefit.
Before you start a biologic, you might try parasite cleansing based on acupuncture meridian assessment (AMA), avoiding allergenic foods (e.g. gluten, dairy and GMO products), working with a biological dentist to eliminate incompatible dental materials and hidden dental infections, and also working to detox your entire body, which is important in preparation and follow-up to dental work and treating systemic infections. These steps will gradually strengthen your whole-body immune system, and this multipronged approach may help resolve underlying medical conditions like asthma, chronic fatigue, eczema, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headache, or psoriasis. You may call it an “Accidental Cure.”
Be patient! Is healing within and restoring your immune system better than biologics? You can be the judge – not pharma, FDA, medical journals, or TV commercials. The skin will be the last organ to heal.
~ June 2022
Dr. Simon Yu, MD is a Board Certified Internist. He practices Internal Medicine with an emphasis on Integrative Medicine to use the best each has to offer. For more articles and information about integrative medicine, patient success stories, and Dr. Yu’s latest book, AcciDental Blow Up in Medicine: Battle Plan for Your Life, visit his website at www.preventionandhealing.com or call Prevention and Healing, Inc., 314-432-7802. You can also attend a free monthly presentation and discussion on Integrative Medicine at his office on the second Tuesday each month at 6:30 pm. Call to verify the date. Seating is limited, arrive early.
Simon Yu, MD
Prevention and Healing, Inc.
10908 Schuetz Road
St. Louis, MO 63146 314-432-7802
www.preventionandhealing.com
Weaving Internal Medicine with Integrative Medicine to Use the Best Each Has to Offer