30/08/2026
In this "modern times" and advances in Human "health" regimes.
What this Doctor point out is so so important and true.
Thanks to Dr Ng for sharing and explaining.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bcyum82HC/
Today I cancelled a surgery. I think it’s important to explain why.
A patient flew in from out of town, all booked for liposuction and a tummy tuck. Everything on paper looked straightforward — her medical history was clear, her pre-surgery photos had been reviewed, no known illness, no medications. The surgery slot was ready.
Then I examined her.
Her tummy was large, but her arms and legs were thin — almost disproportionately so. That pattern is called “truncal obesity,” and to a surgeon, it’s a red flag, not just a body shape. When I asked more questions, she told me she had been taking various health supplements for years — the kind sold by friends, online sellers, and social media influencers, marketed as “natural,” “safe,” and good for immunity and energy.
Putting the picture together, this was very likely a case of exogenous Cushing syndrome — a hormonal condition caused by long-term exposure to steroids, often hidden inside unregulated “health” products. I had to cancel her surgery. Operating on an unstable hormonal system, even for a “simple” body contouring procedure, could have caused serious complications — poor wound healing, infection, even a medical crisis on the table.
This is not a rare story. I’m seeing it more and more.
We live in a time where many people trust their friends, their favourite influencer, or a direct-selling agent more than they trust a doctor. I understand why — modern medicine can feel cold, rushed, or expensive, while a friend’s recommendation feels warm and personal. Many of these products are marketed as “natural healing” — an alternative to “western medicine” or “chemical poison.”
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: a significant number of these supplements, slimming pills, joint remedies, and “energy boosters” are secretly laced with steroids — undeclared, unregulated, and taken without medical supervision. Used long-term, they can cause real and sometimes irreversible damage: a rounded “moon” face, a hump at the back of the neck, thinning skin that bruises easily, purple stretch marks, weakened bones, diabetes, high blood pressure, and suppressed adrenal glands that can be dangerous if the product is suddenly stopped.
The hardest part? Many patients don’t know it’s happening to them. They just think the supplement is “working” because they feel more energetic, or their skin looks fuller — until the underlying damage starts to show.
So here is my appeal to you, as your friend and as your doctor:
• If you’re taking any long-term supplement, bring the actual bottle or box to your doctor — not just the name you remember.
• If you’ve noticed new weight gain around your belly and face, but your arms and legs seem to be getting thinner — please get checked.
• If you bruise more easily than before, or wounds are healing slowly, mention it to a doctor.
• Please don’t stop any long-term supplement abruptly without medical advice — if it does contain steroids, sudden withdrawal can itself be dangerous
Surgery isn’t always about saying yes and operating. Sometimes the most important thing I can do for a patient is say no — and help her find out what’s really going on first.
If this post helps even one person recognise these signs in themselves or someone they love, please consider sharing it. Awareness usually spreads best through the very same networks — friends, family groups, social media — that these products spread through in the first place. Let’s use that for good.
— Dr. Ng Hian Chan
今天我取消了一台手术。我觉得有必要解释一下原因。
有一位病人从外地坐飞机赶来，预约好了要进行抽脂和腹部整形手术。从纸面上看一切都很顺利——她的病历很清晰，术前照片也审核过了，没有已知疾病，也没有服用药物。手术档期已经准备就绪。
然而，当我为她进行体检时，情况发生了变化。
她的肚子很大，但四肢却很瘦——几乎显得很不协调。这种体型被称为“向心性肥胖”（truncal obesity），对外科医生而言，这不仅是一种体型，更是一个危险信号。当我进一步询问时，她告诉我她多年来一直在服用各种保健品——那些由朋友、网络卖家和社交媒体网红推销的产品，它们被标榜为“纯天然”、“安全”、对增强免疫力和补充能量有益。
把这些情况综合起来看，这极可能是一例医源性库欣综合征（exogenous Cushing syndrome）——一种由于长期暴露于激素（类固醇）而引起的内分泌疾病，而这些激素往往隐藏在未经监管的“保健品”中。我不得不取消她的手术。在一个不稳定的激素系统上进行手术，哪怕是一个“简单”的身体塑形手术，也可能引发严重的并发症——伤口愈合不良、感染，甚至在手术台上发生医疗危机。
这不是一个罕见的故事。我发现这种情况越来越普遍。
我们生活在一个许多人更信任朋友、喜爱的网红或直销代理，而不是医生的时代。我理解其中的原因——现代医学有时会让人感到冰冷、仓促或昂贵，而朋友的推荐则显得温暖而贴心。许多这类产品都被营销为“自然疗法”——号称是“西医”或“化学毒药”的替代品。
但这里有一个令人不安的真相：相当一部分这类保健品、减肥药、关节灵药和“能量补剂”中，都秘密添加了类固醇——这些成分未标明、不受监管，且在没有医疗监督的情况下服用。长期服用，它们会造成真实且有时不可逆的损害：圆润的“满月脸”、后颈部的“水牛背”、容易淤青的薄皮肤、紫色妊娠纹、骨质疏松、糖尿病、高血压，以及如果突然停用可能会引发危险的肾上腺抑制。
最艰难的部分是什么？许多病人并不知道这一切正在自己身上发生。他们只是以为这些保健品“很管用”，因为他们感觉更有精力了，或者皮肤看起来更饱满圆润了——直到潜在的损害开始显现出来。
因此，我作为你的朋友、作为一名医生，向大家发出诚挚的呼吁：
如果你正在服用任何长期保健品，请把真正的瓶子或盒子带给你的医生看——而不仅仅是凭记忆说出名字。
如果你发现自己的腹部和面部的脂肪增加，而四肢似乎在变瘦——请去检查一下。
如果你比以前更容易淤青，或者伤口愈合缓慢，请向医生提及。
请不要在没有医疗建议的情况下突然停用任何长期保健品——如果它确实含有类固醇，突然戒断本身就是危险的。
好的外科医生并不总答应并进行手术。有时候我们必须说“不”——并帮她先弄清楚究竟发生了什么。
如果这篇文章能帮助到你和亲人请考虑转发。
