Tuesday, May 15, 2007

The bathers pictured above, in Chongqing, China, aren't just pleasure-seekers. They're also lunch for a breed of small freshwater fish that devour dead skin. Exfoliation by fish, popular in some parts of Europe and Asia, can temporarily ease the symptoms of such skin disorders as psoriasis. Dermatology professor David Pariser at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk says removing the scales caused by psoriasis may make skin appear healthier; also, he said, spa water sometimes contains selenium, a mineral used to treat dandruff, which may offer some relief. But the scales will eventually return, he said, and the fish technique probably works no better than more conventional treatments such as UV phototherapy and topical ointments.

-- Kathleen Hom