Amen, thank you, God, for skin

By Gerald W. Deas, M.D.

House Calls

The skin is the largest organ of the body and is a mirror image of what is going on inside and outside. It maintains the correct internal temperature of the body. It allows chemical substances to enter and exit the body. At one time, it was thought that nothing could go through the skin and affect the internal workings of the body. Certainly, this has been proven to be wrong.

For example, today, many medications are used on patches and can penetrate the skin with exact dosages. When an allergic reaction takes place in the body, the skin is oftentimes the first organ to show an imbalance.

In today’s world, everyone wants to get rid of body odors and substitute the odor of creams and lotions to smell attractive. All you have to do is go to any mall and it seems like there are many stores ready to serve up a delicious odor. Soaps and body lotions from all over the world can be found in these sanctuaries. I would like to inform you, however, that many of these odor fighters are filled with chemicals that can be absorbed into the body and can cause many toxic symptoms. It has been my experience that when a person has some unexplained medical condition they are never asked by their physician what lotions, soaps, lipsticks and other beautifying agents they might be using. Remember, women eat toxic chemicals everyday when they use lipsticks.

I remember treating a patient who had experienced a terrible vaginal irritation. In questioning her, I found out that she was using a product known as CN in her bath water to assure cleanliness, not realizing that this same toxic product was irritating her vagina and killing the good bacteria there, allowing yeast to overtake the normal flora.

I’m sure you might know of a product called Phisohex. This is a detergent cleanser. At one time, it was used to cleanse infected wounds. It also was used by many mothers to bathe their babies. The use of it now has been discouraged due to the fact of its toxic effect. In fact, it now says on the bottle, “This compound may be toxic if used other than has been directed.”

You know that old expression the old folks used to say when someone was thinking too much of himself: “You must be smelling yourself.” I know we all smell sometimes and we call it BO and, Lord, you know how we try to get rid of it. God did not make us flowers, therefore we should not try to smell like one. In fact, I remember not too long ago, men were using musk oil to attract women and that stuff really stunk. I guess it was attractive to women, but many women don’t like stinky men.

In closing, don’t be a dope and use all those lotions and soaps. I am sure you will be able to cope with your friends and relatives by being your natural self. You might really say “amen” to your skin which was given to protect us from the harmful environment.