Helminthic therapy and skin conditions

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A skin condition, also known as a cutaneous condition, is any medical condition that affects the integumentary system—the organ system that encloses the body and includes skin, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this system is to act as a barrier against the external environment.

The scientific evidence[edit | edit source]

Acne[edit | edit source]

The scientific evidence

2009 Aug Prevalence and risk factors of inflammatory acne vulgaris in rural and urban Ghanaian schoolchildren

The striking difference between the prevalences of acne in rural (0.2%) and urban schools (12.9%) in our study may reflect differences in exposure to different environmental factors.

The anecdotal evidence

One more positive change I have noticed is I no longer get acne on my back, something I thought I would grow out of after my teens. But no they persisted, but since I've been hosting my new friends (hookworms) my skin has been very healthy and clear. NO MORE ZITS! (Link expired)

My acne has cleared up. (Link expired)

And it was still much less frequent over 2 years later. (Link expired)

I've had no negative side effects and strangely my long-term moderate acne (over 20 years) has cleared up almost entirely in the past two weeks. (Link expired)

I can report that prior to my using hookworm I experienced, into my forties, red zit-like bumps on my back, without heads, that would persist for weeks, and made removing my shirt in public something I dreaded. These disappeared along with my allergies and asthma post hookworm. (Link expired)

Since starting 3 NA three months ago the only benefit so far (for our 14 year-old son) is his acne. Which is a big deal. His face was starting to scar from the acne. His skin has greatly improved. [1]

I’ve been doing HT (TTO for 6 months and NA for 3 months) and I definitely notice a reduction in my acne. Not completely gone yet but my skin definitely looks better. [2]

Contact dermatitis[edit | edit source]

2020 May 19 The Gastrointestinal Helminth Heligmosomoides bakeri Suppresses Inflammation in a Model of Contact Hypersensitivity -- Full text | PDF

Chronic wounds[edit | edit source]

2024 Aug 23 Helminth protein enhances wound healing by inhibiting fibrosis and promoting tissue regeneration -- Full text | PDF (Also reported by Advanced Science News. [3])
2024 Apr The effect of hydatid cyst protoscolex somatic antigens on full-thickness skin wound healing in mouse
2023 Feb 13 Helminth egg derivatives as proregenerative immunotherapies -- Full text | PDF (improved repair and decreased fibrosis).

These immunotherapies have the potential to promote wound healing and inhibit fibrosis across multiple tissues and injury types.

2022 Dec 14 Wound healing approach based on excretory-secretory product and lysate of liver flukes -- Full text | PDF
2019 Oct 23 Employing parasitic worm products to improve healing of chronic wounds (Thesis)
2013 Aug Type 2 immunity and wound healing: evolutionary refinement of adaptive immunity by helminths -- Full text | PDF

Eczema[edit | edit source]

See Helminthic therapy and eczema

Hair loss[edit | edit source]

See Helminthic therapy and hair growth

Psoriasis[edit | edit source]

See Helminthic therapy and psoriasis

Rosacea[edit | edit source]

The risk for rosacea increases with the presence of systemic low-grade inflammation, which is more prevalent in the absence of helminths.

2018 Jan 12 The Association Between Low Grade Systemic Inflammation and Skin Diseases: A Cross-sectional Survey in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (Coverage : AJMC Study Finds Association Between Low-Grade Inflammation and Rosacea, and Rosacea's blog New Study Shows Rosacea Associated with Low-Grade Inflammation)

The anecdotal evidence

Rosacea has diminished. (Link expired)

I started HT… for allergies/rosacea… amazed at progress so far. I haven't needed any over the counter meds of any kind since the fourth week after inoculation and the flaky red stuff I always have on my chin is now gone. (Reported to the Facebook Helminthic Therapy Support Group, Aug 2012) HW

I had mild rosacea--triggered especially by hot baths--and it has cleared at 12 weeks with 5 NA. (Link expired)

I just noticed (after 6 months with NA) that I am not bothering with makeup sometimes and this is because I haven't had rosacea lately! This has been a constant bother over the years even before I had scleroderma! [4]

My rosacea has essentially disappeared. (After 12 weeks with 5 NA.) (FB, Jan 2019) [5]

Hi, I’m now 63 and I had been struggling with rosacea and irritable bowel syndrome for a few years. After about 5 years, I found these problems were affecting my lifestyle. Travelling, and not knowing if a toilet was readily available, was becoming a real problem. We were getting close to retirement and travelling was our passion, but I was becoming nervous of what might happen. My rosacea was also getting worse and not only was my once “great” skin aging, but I was struggling with inflammation, sores, lumps and bumps! I was working long hours, supporting aged parents and looking after my family, so my health problems were the last straw! I needed to be good for me, so that I could be good for everyone else. I think I’ve now been on HDC therapy for around 2 years, and the improvement is wonderful. I think of my worms as a “probiotic”, or as my “magic spoonful” to improve my health. I’ve had no side effects and find things are sooo much better. I am now travelling lots & enjoying life. I still have aging skin, but it’s clear and healthy... and I am feeling great for my age. (Received via email, Feb 2020.)

Scleroderma[edit | edit source]

See Helminthic therapy and scleroderma

Urticaria (Hives)[edit | edit source]

Some helminths that are not used in therapy have, rarely, been observed to cause urticaria [6] but, amongst the therapeutic species, only NA is known to occasionally cause a temporary eruption of, or the exacerbation of an existing case of, urticaria as a side effect of the initial inoculation with this species. (See more detail here.) Once a colony of NA has been established for at least 3 months (more details here), this can be a very effective treatment for urticaria.

The anecdotal evidence

The first report is more detailed than the quotes that follow it.

The effects of NA on chronic idiopathic urticaria and eczema

Hives are 90% improved. (Link expired)

My baby started to get dermatographia hives from touch at 6 months when I introduced solids. At 8 months he got 3 hookworm and the hives have stayed away. (Reported to a closed group, Oct 2014)

... my hive (urticaria) symptoms are 99% gone, I do get a small outbreak rarely... I am only a 14 months into the therapy. Symptoms cleared up 3 months after my third dose. [7]

The following three reports are by the same person.

I also have had almost no problems with the cold urticaria that I typically deal with several times a day every day (regardless of weather or environment). Last night I even felt comfortable reducing one of my three anti-hystamines and suffered no ill effects. [8]

I forgot to take my morning dose of meds (200 hydroxychloriquine, 10 omeprazole, 20 Loratadine). I found my pills in the pocket of my hoodie tonight so I know I didn't take them. However, despite not taking the morning dose of antihistamines, I didn't get a single hive today. Not one! And I even did yard work, which normally be a trigger for me right away. This is so exciting! ... I'm only about six months into HT, but for tonight I'm over the moon! [9]

Not a single outbreak for almost four weeks. This is following a long period of time where my best days "only" had four or five episodes a day. [10]

This person has also produced a further, very detailed report, written six months into therapy, and a “before and after” comparison of symptoms. [11]

I achieved remission of chronic (idiopathic) urticaria (with hookworms) at 5.5 months and was able to stop the certirizine at that point. (Link expired)

My chronic urticaria was horrible and one of the main reasons I started using Hws. After about the 2nd dose I haven't had them since. [12]

In my case, HDC works (I had chronic nervous urticaria). I’m drinking 60 HDC and I don't have any symptoms. [13]

Urticaria symptoms cleared up 3 months after my third dose (of NA). Symptoms are 99% gone, (but) I do get a small outbreak rarely... [14]

NA seems to have successfully got my chronic urticaria (hives) into remission. 🙌 Got the CU 3 years back and initially got it into remission after half a year with diet, a holistic approach and prayer. But it came back mildly 6 months later with Covid. Then it went away again when I was pregnant. Having autoimmune thyroid issues as well, I thought (helminthic therapy) was worth the go. And my diet to keep the hives away was really difficult to maintain. I started NA soon after I had my daughter and the hives stayed away. Could eat so many more foods with high histamine. But was not sure if it was the NA causing this or just a follow on from pregnancy. After 9 months of using NA, I had a really bad sore throat so used an oil of oregano mouth spray, forgetting it might harm the helminths. Within half a week the hives returned mildly, so I ordered more NA and, about a month later, the hives disappeared again. So this unintended test convinced me the NA must be a big factor why my CU is in remission. [15]

(I have) extreme chronic eczema. 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. It would come and go but always was 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. [16]