There is no reason why beauty and health cannot go hand in hand and skin care is one such field. Saudi Gazette spoke with Dawa Filemban, the owner of a beauty center in Jeddah, who has recently introduced new techniques in the field of hand and feet massage and treatment from complex skin diseases. The technique involves using fish to treat the skin by “nibbling” on it. “We have already imported these small and rare fish to distribute around established beauty centers,” she said. According to Filemban, a number of beauty centers from around the Kingdom as well as from GCC countries will be visiting Filemban's center to view demonstrations of this treatment. The treatment will be incorporated as a procedure in clinics and hospitals under the supervision of specialists. The treatment - called “Original Doctor Fish” - hails from the Far East where it is already a very popular treatment and is used primarily to treat calluses on the feet. Filemban elaborated on the treatment to explain the types of fish used, the diagnosis and the procedure itself. “There are two kinds of small fish used; the first type are gray, while the second are red,” she explained. “They live in shallow water and feed on the dead skin of patients.” By their very nature, the fish only feed on dead, and not healthy skin. Contrary to popular perception, the treatment does not hurt at all, according to Filemban, and rather, causes a tingling and relaxing feeling. “The fish used are called Garraz Raufa and Hybrid, and they are imported from special farms in Asia under the supervision of many veterinarians and health specialists,” added Filemban. “The treatment or massage can also help treatment eczema, dark patches of skin and ingrown nails as well refresh blood circulation, remove birthmarks, reduce stress levels and provide a feeling of contentment.” More serious kinds of ailments have also shown encouraging results from this procedure, including rheumatism, psychological depression, rare kinds of skin diseases. In particular, the treatment can help relieve the pain caused by accidents, the inflammation of nerves, and palsy.
