Helminthic therapy and eczema

⚭Home>Effects of helminthic therapy>Helminthic therapy and eczema

Dermatitis, also known as eczema. Dermatitis is a term used for different types of skin inflammation, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can vary from small to covering the entire body. Dermatitis is also called eczema, but "eczema" is often used for the most common type of skin inflammation, atopic dermatitis

The scientific evidence[edit | edit source]

Clinical Trials and observational studies[edit | edit source]

See Helminthic therapy clinical trials / Eczema

Media Coverage[edit | edit source]

2019 Jan 9 Parasitic worms could be the solution to asthma, eczema and coeliac disease - Nicky Pellegrino, New Zealand Listener

The anecdotal evidence[edit | edit source]

The first two reports are more detailed than the quotes that follow them.

"The symptom that reduced the most was skin problems (eczema) and general itching of the skin... which was one of my most bothersome symptoms before hookworm." (Link expired)

The following two reports were written, two years apart, by the same person.
- "One of my symptoms was severe eczema in the crook of my left arm. This has gone into complete remission since treatment." (Link expired)
- “I had an area of weeping eczema in the crook of my left arm, which has been in complete remission for a couple of years now. I also had papules that covered my upper arms, and they are now in about 97% remission.” (Link expired)

“... I always have little, random patches of eczema-like rash... about ten little patches at any given time on arms, shoulders, neck, or ears, and in the last month it's been closer to two at a time. At the moment I have NONE, which is unheard of for me." (Link expired)

"I'm at 18 months now, and I have seen a gradual and consistent improvement over this time in both my food allergy/intolerance and my eczema. The improvements in the former have been so amazing that they have overshadowed the changes to my skin, but these have also been occurring very gradually over the 18 months to the point where I now only have three tiny patches of eczema that still need to be creamed, and now only every few days. This is instead of having to apply lashings of cream, every day without fail, to both feet, both knees and both elbows." (Link expired)

☹️ "... it is my unfortunate duty to report that, so far, the helminths have not had an impact on my chronic, severe eczema." (Link expired)

“He used to break out in eczema if he had gluten more than 2 days in a row and now he can eat it every day.” (Link expired)

"I had eczema mostly on my hands and arms, and sometimes on my neck for about 20 years. For the last 10 years or so I used prednisolone as needed. My first dose (of hookworms) was 2 months ago. I have had no eczema, and haven't been on pred for a few weeks. My skin hasn't looked this good in 10 years, and especially without any drugs." (Link expired)

“It’s now been a bit more than 6 months since my initial inoculation, and I'm now the proud mom to 85 hookworms and the results I have seen have been amazing! My eczema is fantastic! All summer I was able to wear short sleeves without worrying about how bad the eczema on my arms was.” [1]

"My excema is prone to occasionally re occur but is much better than it was a few years ago, at this time of year I would scratch my skin raw in my sleep (very disturbed sleep) and flake dry skin all day. It was unbearable, my wife was genuinely concerned for my mental health. I feel more relaxed and generally contented than I can remember." [2]

"Our two year old son was sensitive to fragrances in detergents and soaps - we noticed he would scratch excessively if we put him in clothes that had been washed with scented detergent, and his eczema would flare up. (He has had mild eczema since he was 3 or 4 months old.) Since his first dose with 5 HW about 13 weeks ago, we have seen a significant improvement! His skin is pretty much clear, just a small patch of dryness on each of his feet. He no longer seems bothered after washing his hands with scented soap (this used to make his wrists itch for hours)." (Link expired)

"Our 2½ year old started with 5 HW in May 2013. He had eczema, mild food allergies (egg white, wheat, and peanut), and was sensitive to fragrance and some foods (dairy, potatoes). So far we have seen significant improvement in the eczema and sensitivities. We have reintroduced dairy and potatoes in small amounts with no reaction…" (Reported to a closed group, Aug 2013)

“I started HT with hookworms for eczema in June 2013 and have now been totally eczema free for nearly 8 months. I had it mainly on my hands and face, but it could also spread all over in bad flares which were usually caused by contact with perfumes. It used to be so bad on my hands that I couldn't even bare to put them in water - couldn't bathe my own kids! It got particularly bad during the winter months when I would get patches on my face, arms and legs too. I'd had it pretty constantly for about 25 years and went through all the treatments to no avail. I now haven't even had a spot of dry skin for over a year and last winter is the first one I've had eczema free since I was a child! So I would say that HT has been pretty miraculous for me!” (Edited from two posts, including this one.)

“Both my daughter and I had eczema and although the main condition she took hookworms for, was Crohns, it has cleared up our eczema. I take hookworm and whipworm just as a parental dose to support my daughter but my eczema has completely gone.” [3]

“... helminths have done wonders for my eczema. I had horrible eczema for years, all over my body, that really intensified over the last few years. I've had what counts for me as clear skin (it's not clear, but the difference is so staggering that I nearly don't care) since about 14 months with helminths. I'm now at around 19 months. It's incredible.” [4] And an update 6 years later: "NA has been key in my (severe) eczema management. It's consistently 80-90% better than it used to be." [5]

“TSO has been unbelievably effective for my daughter’s eczema. She is now 23 years old but has tried EVERYTHING in the past with fair results at best.” (Reported in a private communication, Jun 2015)

“I inoculated (4 years ago) for severe eczema and allergies, which started 17 years ago after taking multiple antibiotics. Over the following 13 years I tried everything from many MDs and NDs and diet changes, Chinese medicine, allergy shots and acupuncture (which did, amazingly, turn off the itching but only temporarily). But, by FAR, the NA inoculation helped immensely. It took 9 months to see significant improvement but it is so much better. I can go outside without my eyes swelling shut and full body rashes. My eczema still worsens with emotional stressors but nothing like before. Life is normal again: no more oral steroids, only tacrolimus ointment rarely. I❤️my worms.” (Edited from three posts: [6] [7] [8])
And an update: "Now, 7 years later, still hosting NA, I rarely have any eczema patches." [9]

“I’ve been waiting to update for my daughter, who is 18 months old. (Ten weeks ago) I inoculated her with 3 NA for severe eczema and allergies… The back of her neck, arms, and legs were riddled with eczema and she didn't sleep well. Last week her skin became smooth, the redness is greatly reduced. She doesn't need to be moisturized at every diaper change, only twice per day. She started sleeping without our 4 am itch fest, which was our nightly ritual for months… the change in her skin is remarkable progress. I had tried so much before Helminth Therapy. It's the only treatment that has brought my girl relief. I look forward to the weeks to come.” [10] [11] “It took 2 doses (both of 3 NA) and 10 months to see 90-95% complete remission in my daughters severe eczema.” [12]

"One dose of 25 (NA) 10 months ago and I've had no excema since. [13]

“I have just entered week 6 after my first dose of 5NA on 4/16. I am treating eczema, asthma, and allergies. My usually cracked, bleeding, seeping, and life-ruining skin has been WONDERFULLY clear, about 95% clear since May 1st. My eczema was the disease causing me so much misery for so many years and for 6 weeks I have been almost symptom free! I have never cried happy tears as frequently as I do now. I am just so happy to feel so good and to be able to wear short sleeves and shorts in this 90 degree weather. If you are debating trying this treatment, please don't wait any longer.” [14] (Linked post includes before-and-after pictures.)

“Since when at 14 years old I got an antiparasite medication I started suffering from dust mite allergy and eczema. I’m now 27 and I’ve inoculated 3 times with 5 NAs… (and) have zero allergies and eczema.” [15]

“For about 20 years, I have struggled with eczema on my face. I often had ugly red and purple patches of it at various places on my face, and it was also sometimes oozing and painful. For the last three months (and after 14 months of taking HDC), the eczema has been virtually non-existent, and this without any other treatment or attention.” [16]

“I had chronic dyschotic eczema on hands. I got nothing before the 7-8 months with NA, then it cleared.” [17]

“We began giving our son NA a year and a half ago. He was almost two years old at the time and had suffered from severe (and I mean extremely severe) eczema from one month of age. We had tried everything possible including fecal transplants, and NA was probably the last thing I could think of that we hadn't tried. 12 weeks into his first dose of 5 NA, he was able to play naked, without two layers of clothes on for the first time in his life (he couldn't have skin anywhere within itching reach as he wouldn't do anything else other than scratch his skin to the point of bleeding). Since this first dose, we have given him a few others and also included 8 months of TSO treatment. There have been ups and downs with his skin but overall, a year and a half later, he is a completely different kid. Looking at him you would never know he had eczema and I couldn't be more grateful.” [18]

“I started (with NA) around 2 years ago. My food intolerances meant I usually had painful eczema on my hands, mouth and eyes mainly. I still have a little on my face now and again. My hands are no longer that painful, there is still eczema but it has toned down to a level I've not seen since I was early teens. I still plan on doing more and hopefully see more results. I still do have to avoid the stuff I was most intolerant to but my quality of life is so much better.” [19]

“At 12 weeks after 5 NA, my hand eczema disappeared and hasn’t returned since (almost two years ago).” [20]

“Right now I take 30 HDC every two weeks and my severe skin problems are almost 100 percent gone. It’s kind of incredible. At best, the extreme chronic eczema is on my hands and feet only, but, in the last 8 years since I went off the steroid creams, I’ve had crazy outbreaks of rashes, hives, swelling skin, itchiness and red skin syndrome (incredibly swollen red skin). It would come and go but was always there in the background. Sometimes, when I was in a flare, it felt debilitating, painful and uncomfortable. I took the HDC and it immediately calmed the severity of things and now, after two months, my skin is better than it’s been in years.” [21] [22]

“I have started helminthic therapy and been on it for almost one year and seen great improvement in my skin, I no longer flair everyday from foods and my surroundings and have starting mircodosing my trigger foods. My hands and mouth are no longer dry, cracked and peeling. It’s done wonders for me.” [23]

☹️ “My main problem with atopic eczema in the last few years was that I developed nummular or discoid eczema which are quite severe concentrated discs like spots that started appearing all over my body and head so can often be termed psoriasis as it moved to the head. I had a very stepped, well thought through and exacting approach after doing a tonne of research and giving the worms lots of time to work between each dose, but the discs and psoriasis still persisted without any reduction. However I never get hay fever anymore during spring so maybe that’s something. I had really hoped this was going to be my holy grail, but after 4 years of trying I finally gave up and looked to other aetiology. I’m on Methotrexate now and that stuff is pretty amazing, cleared it right up. Also fasting works for me.” (Edited from two posts: [24] [25])

“My teenage son shows no signs of his eczema with NA. Occasionally he drops below a therapeutic dose and needs more.” [26]

“I had chronic eczema for many years. Usually it was on my fingers, hands, wrists, forearms, elbow creases and neck, and sometimes would spread much more than that. Food sensitivities like sugar aggravated it, and I managed it with topical steroids, but I don’t need these any more. I got improvement in about 3 months, then, after a couple years with NA, my skin was clear. My dosing is pretty irregular: 5-12 NA 2 or 3 times a year.” (Condensed from several comments in this thread.)

“My moderate eczema was chronic since birth, and would have been severe if I was not using cortisone creams. Before NA, I had it on my face, crotch, neck and back. After 15 weeks with NA, rash is now moved to only left elbow flexture, underarms & neck. Much less distressing!” [27]

“Ever since we started taking them (HDC), there has been no eczema for my kids, even during winter or even if they eat dairy.” [28]

“I have eczema, allergies and asthma and it’s lessened the severity of all three, especially my eczema.” [29]

"It took my husband a couple of doses before his eczema settled, dosing 5 or so (NA) every 10-12 weeks, but it cleared up really well." [30]

Reporting your own experience

See Share your personal story

Selecting a helminth species to treat eczema[edit | edit source]

To identify the best helminth species to treat RA see this list.

How to obtain and use these organisms, as well as what to expect from the treatment, is all explained in detail elswhere on this site. The best place to begin is here: Introduction to helminthic therapy.