You must have noticed by now the latest pedicure trend in the UK… the sight of people sitting with their feet in tanks having their extremities nibbled at by hundreds of tiny fish has now become a common sight – in shopping centres, salon windows or on the street. It seems that this is a treatment that needs to be done in public!

And yet, the beauty treatment imported from Turkey is also used in its country of origin as a treatment for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. I suppose it makes sense when you remember that these fish effectively exfoliate the skin, removing any dead cells and eating them.

It is not a cure, although it is reported that it can relieve the symptoms of the condition and stimulate the growth of new cells. For the moment in the UK, I haven’t heard of anywhere that provides this service – the focus seems to be on pedicures only.

And with the RSPCA currently investigating whether the treatments are cruel to the fish, it seems unlikely that we’ll see all-over exfoliations being offered anywhere soon. Correct me if I’m wrong. Otherwise, maybe the next time you head to Turkey on your holidays, you should look up your local doctor fish for some temporary eczema relief…