It seems that the craze for fish pedicures has come to Havering. The spas use a type of fish known as the Doctor Fish (Garra rufa) which is native to the Middle East, particularly Iran, Iraq and Turkey. The fish "nibble" at dead skin leaving healthy skin alone. skin feels softer after and certainly looks better
The fish have been used in Turkey to treat psoriasis for some time. In recent years their use as a spa treatment has started to spread across the world, with the first spas opening in the UK earlier this year.
Here they are used to provide pedicures but one place in Hornchurch, solesensation, has a body immersion bath - it claims to be the first in the UK (I am not sure if this is true or not)
Being a psoriasis sufferer I have been intrigued by the doctor fish treatment ever since I first saw it on tv some years ago, Now that there is a place locally to try out the treatment I have booked a session on Monday (I was quite lucky as only one session is offered a day and the salon was featured on some Essex reality show on ITV which means that it is quite popular).
I am quite looking forward to giving it a try. I am under no illusions that it is a miracle cure - or any real cure at all - but if you are covered in patches of dead, flaky skin which sloughs off in bed and in my clothes as I am, any port in a storm! That and my hair looks like it has dandruff's big, ugly brother despite using methotrexate (an anti cancer drug which is effective in treating skin disieases but takes a while to kick in) and a strong steroid. Vitamin A cream.
So I am intrigued to see if it can relieve some of the worse symptoms and not make me bleed as exfoliation does. One thing is for sure, ther are going to be some Garra rufa who will think that Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and their birthdays have been rolled into one!
I will report back on Monday.
May the effect of Garra rufa's nibbling last at least 600 moons longer than the one of the moon-ant's nibbling.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Jams.
Beautifully put Sean. Here's hoping!
ReplyDeleteCould they, perhaps, be kept in your backyard pool after you remove the flowers?
ReplyDeleteI think it is well worth a try, it sounds much more positive than exfoliation.
ReplyDeleteA bit cold for them Susan!
ReplyDeleteI hope so. It's worth a try Cherie
I can hardly wait to read your report. Don't let them nibble too much...Best Wishes!
ReplyDeleteI will report back on monday. The little buggers are in for a feast!
ReplyDeleteI had my feet nibbled by fish in Singapore and loved it. I'm not sure they felt appreciably softer afterwards but it was a lovely experience
ReplyDeleteI am definitely looking forward to having the treatment Nursie
ReplyDeleteI understand that sunbathing around Dead Sea has a good effect on psoriasis.
ReplyDeleteAs for the fishes - I guess it couldn't cause harm.
That is something to try one day for real. In the meantime I must try the dead sea bath slats to see if that works
ReplyDeleteIt's all the craze here, too but I don't think I'll be trying it!
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I would not try it if it weren't fro the skin problems
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