The weather is getting colder and colder, and more and more people like to soak in hot springs. One of the projects called "Hot Spring Fish Therapy" has been welcomed by many people. Hot spring fish therapy is mainly through the small fish swimming in the hot spring pool pecking at the cutin of human skin, so that the pores of human body are unblocked, thus better absorbing the minerals in hot spring water, accelerating human metabolism and playing a role in health preservation.

"Family Fish" in Hot Spring Fish Therapy. (Source: Qilu Evening News)

According to Chongqing Daily, the fish used for hot spring fish therapy is usually reddish cuttlefish, a tropical fish with no teeth and a body length of less than 5 cm. This small fish originated in Turkey, commonly known as "parent fish", and can swim in hot spring water of more than 40 degrees. When people enter the hot spring pool, fish will gather around the human body, peck at the aging cortex, bacteria and pore excreta of the human body, stimulate the epidermal nerves of the human body, promote blood circulation, and effectively relieve systemic fatigue.

But from the point of public health, many people are worried that fish therapy in hot springs will spread some diseases, and there are even rumors that fish therapy will spread AIDS and hepatitis. In response to these rumors, Kang Hui, director of the Laboratory Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, said in an interview with Chongqing Daily that HIV and hepatitis viruses can only survive in living cells in blood and body fluids, and can only spread under certain conditions. There is little possibility of spreading AIDS or hepatitis through fish therapy.

But it is worth noting that hot spring fish therapy is not completely safe and healthy. In the process of hot spring fish treatment, there is still a potential risk of microbial infection if disinfection or hygiene work is not done well.

Liu Aimin, director of dermatology department of Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, explained in an interview with Dahe Daily. In hot spring fish therapy, small fish mainly peck at dander. Small fish peck at the skin of patients with dermatoses such as dermatophyte infection, and it is easy to infect people with wounds, resulting in cross-infection. In addition, the disinfection measures in many places operating hot spring fish therapy in China are not in place, which also brings some hidden dangers to the public health safety belt of fish therapy.

In this regard, the dermatologist of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine suggested in an interview with Nanfang Daily that patients with skin damage or skin diseases had better not receive hot spring fish therapy to avoid catching diseases or infecting others.

In addition, for those who choose hot spring fish therapy, there are still some places that need attention.

First of all, the soaking time should not exceed 30 minutes each time to prevent the skin from losing its ability to resist bacteria because of too long soaking time. Secondly, for some small hot spring pools that are easy to cause high bacterial concentration, it is best to go when there are few people. In addition, it is best to choose natural hot springs with running water, because the concentration of bacteria in these hot springs is low. Finally, once the skin is abnormal in the process of soaking in hot springs, you should go to the hospital for examination in time. (Zhou Yu)

This article is scientifically checked by Zheng Baoyong, deputy chief physician of dermatology department of Tianjin Baodi District People's Hospital.