Doctor Fish

[rodney08]

Has anyone tried or considered trying Fishspa's for the treatment of psoriasis? As seen on Utube etc...

[babyblue]

I wouldn't even contemplate it Rodney.  The Dead Sea is the place to go with P., and Dr Fish are now in many areas outside Turkey, even here in Ireland.  The treatment here involves daily bathing with the fish for a six week period and is very expensive.

Read below reply posted by Nick last March .. you can find such replies on links below ...

Much has been written on PHO about this type of 'treatment'. Not only is it available in Ireland but is widely advertised in Turkey and even our own national press have run articles on it.

The general consensus here is that it is not advisable to use this method. At best you risk infection and at worst it is a 'con' as it often promotes itself as a 'cure'.

The risk of cross contamination from the fish is a real issue. People have contracted Hep C, fungal infections to name but a few. And because the fish do cause trauma to the skin then Koebner Syndrome becomes a risk.

Please do thorough research before you make an informed decision. There are better methods to treat your p with excellent results and for little cost.

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[rodney08]

Hello

Thanks for your response. From what I understand only if the wrong fish are used can there be any problems. The real Garra Rufa fish have no teeth and cannot pass infections, and the water is constantly passed through a UV filter to keep it pure. Sounds good to me and will try...

[babyblue]

Good luck with it Rodney, I think you should investigate it a bit further before going ahead;  cross-infections can happen and I certainly wouldn't risk it.  Where are you having the treatment?   Abroad ?  If so why not look at threads about going to the Dead Sea, it's far more beneficial for you overall.

[rodney08]

Where is the cross infection going to come from the fish or water?

[babyblue]

Rodney,

Read the many texts on this under the links I sent to you.  Others offer advice there similar to what I say and if having researched it thoroughly you are happy to go ahead, I wish you the best of luck. 

Regarding cross infection, while the  risk might be slight from either fish or water, is a risk that I would be unwilling to take.   

Do a cost-benefit analysis as you would if you were purchasing any other treatment. For instance ask the following
Is it closely monitored; what Agency oversees such treatment to ensure you as a customer are protected ? 
How many sessions will you need ? 
What is the cost time wise (taking you from work on a daily basis)? 
The cost in financial terms?
How long remission can you realistically expect?and
What risks are associated with it?


If happy, go ahead with it.  I'm offering my opinion which is what you requested in the first instance.

BB

[mattellie]

The fish only nibble away at the scales, they do nothing for the psoriasis. In Turkey you also need to expose your P to the sun while these special fishy spas that are springing up use a UVB lamp.

It is far cheaper to go to Spain, exfoliate in an oily bath then sunbathe.

It is well known that the fish do cause minor cuts to the skin, not from their teeth but by your scales being pulled off. One member on here went to Dr Fish in Turkey and reported that the water was dirty with other peeps blood and this causes the cross contamination, dont forget there are many peeps in the pool at any one time.

[rodney08]

Go on the BBC web site, and look under doctor fish. This may rid your concerns. Also Marie Claire magazine among others. Huge in the far east, you have individual tanks so no sharing if you dont want. The water is changed after each use. If you doubt look into it. I'm not talking about Turkey but here in the UK with UK health and safety. A course of treatment on serious P should last 18 months. Cool....

[babyblue]

Rodney, thanks for advice but it's not a treatment I would ever consider. 

I've seen and read enough about Dr. Fish and think it highly unlikely that someone will get 18 months relief from P by availing of such treatment (unless the P is very mild and practially non-existent in the first place).  Do let us know how it works for you and more particularly how you feel about it six months after treatment ends.

I'm sorry I cannot be more positive on the idea, in my view it's a short-term solution that at best provides limited relief at an inflated cost.   

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[LittlePinkPuss]

Go on the BBC web site, and look under doctor fish. This may rid your concerns. Also Marie Claire magazine among others.

I have no comment to make about the fish because I don’t know enough about the subject.

However, I will say.........just because it was featured on the BBC and in Marie Claire magazine means absolutely nothing.

Many TV stations and magazines run stories which at first glance appear to be investigative / journalist style stories informing you of all the glowing facts about a particular subject.

When in fact, they are simply paid advertising dressed up to resemble a supposedly independent article.

MC