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W. Bushong, Ph.D., LMFT Richard A. Martin, Jr., M.D., FACEP Kimberly L. Westwood, CPE, CCE et al. |
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Specialists in the Medical & Psychological Aspects of Transgender Health Care |
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St. John's-wort May Make Electrolysis More Painful St. John's-wort (hypericum perforatum) is a herbal remedy that is marketed for its antidepressant, antiviral, sedative and analgesic effects. Transgender individuals may be temped to experiment with St. John's-wort in concert with electrolysis, as this herbal remedy has been associated with sedative and pain relieving properties. But the use of St. John's-wort and sun exposure may cause the skin in exposed areas to began to hurt. And with increased sun exposure, the pain may worsen. These symptoms might be the result of nerve damage. St. John's-wort can interact with sunlight, producing oxygen molecules that damage the myelin wrapped around nerves. If myelin is damaged, nerves can produce electrical activity, which feels like tingling, needles, or pain. Usually the pain will disappear within three months by stopping the use of the herb. This latency is consistent with how long it takes myelin to regenerate. Scientists are only beginning to understand how this popular mood-elevator works in the body. Preliminary evidence suggests that the herb may interact with other drugs, rendering them ineffective. Researchers at GlaxoSmithKline reported that St. John's-wort appears to affect a particular enzyme used by the body to process drugs. The enzyme, which is turned on like a faucet by St. John's-wort, flows into the liver, eliminating many prescription drugs twice as fast as normal, and greatly reducing their curative effects. These interactions can be life threatening under certain circumstances. Organ transplants, for example, have been rejected because of low levels of cyclosporin, an immunosuppressor, which St. John's-wort apparently eliminates too rapidly from the body. And a recent study indicates that St.-John's-wort interferes with Indinavir, a drug critical to many HIV patients' health. Scientists suspect that the drugs affected by St. John's-wort may include everything from oral contraceptives and analgesics to cancer drugs and antibiotics. The American Herbal Products association is recommending that St. John's-wort carry a warning to avoid sunlight and to consult a physician before mixing with prescription medications.
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