Who wants a fish pedicure by Doctor Fish?
Fish pedicure or ichthyotherapy has emerged as a unique treatment modality for psoriasis and many other skin diseases. In this procedure, the body is soaked in a pool of water containing Garra Rufa. Garra Rufa also known as doctor fish, belongs to an omnivorous species of fish that feed on planktons. However, it can also feed on dead human skin when the food is insufficient. The exact therapeutic mechanism of ichthyotherapy in psoriasis is not fully understood but it is believed that the fish helps in penetration of UV light by clearing the psoriatic scales as it strikes the skin. In a recent study conducted in Austria 87.5% of patients showed favorable outcomes with UV combined ichthyotherapy as compared with other therapies for psoriasis. Despite the productive results of ichthyotherapy, there is a major concern for the transmission of infectious and zoonotic diseases from the fish to humans. Therefore, such biotherapies should always be avoided in immunocompromised patients. Source: Ichthyotherapy as alternative treatment for patients with psoriasis: a pilot study. Grassberger M, Hoch W. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006;3:483–488. Shih T, Khan S, Shih S, Khachemoune A. Fish Pedicure: Review of Its Current Dermatology Applications. Cureus. 2020;12(6):e8936. Published 2020 Jun 30. doi:10.7759/cureus.8936
