Colorectal cancer expert reveals five everyday things he’d never do due to health fears

A top surgeon and colon cancer specialist has revealed five of the everyday things he would ‘never do’ in a bid to safeguard his own health.

Dr Philip Pearson, who is based out of Pennsylvania, says the first thing he would not use is facial wet wipes.

This is because he claims the wipes, used to remove make-up and dirt, have ‘chemicals in them [which] can destroy your skin’. ‘Why do it?’ he quips. 

One NIH study examining 178 facial wipes purchased from four large US retailers, identified a total of 485 ingredients in the products. 

It was found the average facial wet wipe contained 16.7 ingredients.

The researchers noted that ‘many potential allergens’ are present in facial wet wipes, including fragrances, preservatives, synthetic liquids, and cleansing agents. 

This cocktail of ingredients could potentially irritate the skin, they said. 

The FDA notes that ‘many wipes, but not all, are regulated as cosmetics’ and if you you have sensitive skin or certain allergies, it is best to check the list of ingredients before using them on your skin.

Next on Dr Pearson’s list of banned products is hemorrhoid cream. He highlights the ointment brand Preparation H as one of the worst offenders. 

In a TikTok video he explains his reasoning, telling viewers: ‘I would not use Preparation H or any other hemorrhoid cream because it’s greasy, it doesn’t work, it doesn’t do anything, and it costs a lot of money.’

Dr Stone Mitchell, a Tennessee-based hemorrhoid specialist, also says that hemorrhoid creams don’t treat the source of the problem. 

He explains: ‘Hemorrhoids are simply swollen veins around the rectal area, which are often the result of excess pressure in the pelvic or rectal area. 

‘Unfortunately, for those at increased risk of suffering from hemorrhoids, the creams don’t actually treat the swollen veins, rather they simply numb the swollen tissue or provide some other type of symptom relief while allowing the actual problem to persist and relying on the body to repair itself.’ 

Dr Mitchell advises using hemorrhoid cream to alleviate symptoms and to book an appointment with a specialist straight away.  

For his third no-no, Dr Pearson says he would never do a colon cleanse to ‘clear the poop out’.

He says poop is meant to be in the colon and ‘it’s fine… leave it alone’. 

There are two main types of colon cleanses. 

One type flushes out the colon with a large amount of liquid. This is commonly called colonic irrigation or a colonic. 

To do the procedure, a tube is placed in the rectum, the last few inches of the large intestine. 

The other main type of colon cleansing, called an enema, empties the colon using a small amount of liquid. Some cleanses used for detoxing use herbal solutions or coffee instead of water. 

Princess Diana was one of the first public figures to openly have colonics in the Nineties, claiming they took ‘all the aggro’ out of her. 

Since then, stars including actresses Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Aniston have admitted using the treatment.

Popstars Madonna, Courtney Love and Britney Spears are also fans, along with singer Usher. 

The R&B artist once explained: ‘As someone who travels a lot, you don’t always eat the way you should so a lot of waste builds up in your body.’

The liquid is held in the large intestine for a short time before being removed. 

While colon cleanses have become increasingly popular, with many believing the treatment can help safeguard against colon cancer, Dr Michael Picco highlights that there is no evidence to support this. 

The Florida-based gastroenterologist writes in a piece for the Mayo Clinic: ‘Detoxing the colon also is not recommended or needed for any medical condition.

‘Some alternative medicine professionals believe that toxins from the digestive tract can cause headaches, arthritis and other conditions. 

‘They think that colon cleansing removes toxins and boosts energy or the immune system. But there’s no evidence that colon cleansing offers these helpful effects.’

Instead of colon cleanses, colon cancer experts advise exploring a high-fiber diet to fend off the disease.

Specialists from the MD Anderson Cancer Center says the ‘best source of this important nutrient is unprocessed, plant-based foods. That means vegetables, fruit and whole grains’. 

Dr Pearson also warns that colon cleansing can be dangerous and coffee enemas have been linked to many deaths. 

Returning to the subject of hemorrhoids, the medic says he would never assume that he had a hemorrhoid based on the way it feels.

He advises: ‘If you have concerns about, just go see a doctor and have somebody check it out.’

There several different types of hemorrhoid, with external hemorrhoids showing the most visible symptoms including swelling around the anus and bleeding. 

Meanwhile internal hemorrhoids, located inside the rectum, rarely cause discomfort until they push through the anal opening. 

Hemorrhoids, colon cancer and anal cancer have some symptoms which overlap, including bleeding and itching, which makes it important to seek medical care right away. 

Moving to area that Dr Pearson isn’t so familiar with, the fifth thing he says he would never do is eye surgery. 

He concludes: ‘I’m not an ophthalmologist. I’m not board certified. That’s the wrong end of the person. I don’t know what I’m doing, so I would not do that. So there you go.’