By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The ``doctor fish,'' is a small fish that allegedly eats dead skin off people's feet. The fish, as its name implies, is famous for the healing effect it supposedly has on skin diseases. But experts are raising questions about its efficacy. Some even warn of the fish spreading disease rather than healing.
The new fad started last summer with a lot of people showing fascination for the creature. At a number of places people rolled up their pants and let the fish feast on the dead skin on their feet. The owners of these thriving places argue that the fish not only removes unwanted material from the feet but also has a massaging effect as well as treating atopic skin disease as well as psoriasis.
However, most of the fish in Korea are reportedly fake and even the real ones can do some harm, say some experts.
The fish, known as Garra rufa, is allegedly imported from Turkey. Its action raised the name ``doctor fish.'' The fish is reportedly also used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as an alternative medical option. According to Dr. Martin Grassberger of the University of Vienna, doctor fish has improved psoriasis of 67 people when combined with ultraviolet ray therapy.
However, a recent newspaper report said that most of the fish used in Korean facilities are imported from China and are quite different in appearance from the original ``doctor fish.'' This ``ChinChin Fish (kissing fish),'' the report said, has no proven medical effect.
Moreover, some experts even express doubts on the therapeutic benefits of the ``doctor fish.''
Han Sung-ho, an atopic skin disease expert, said, ``I see that getting rid of corns is good generally for the skin, but I don't really see what doctor fish can contribute to the healing process.''
``However, I sometimes advise my patients suffering from atopic skin troubles or psoriasis to not get rid of corns thoroughly because it can worsen the itchiness,'' he added.
Dermatologist Kim Jae-hoon said removing all corns can worsen skin troubles. ``If the water in the basin is not clean enough, germs can get into the skin that has just been removed of corns, which often works as a protection from those harmful things,'' he said.
Another doctor Yang won-tak said the fish can even carry disease. ``If one fish touches several people's feet, then it can even carry such diseases as hepatitis type B,'' he warned.