SkinFitnessFacts.com News

Israel is not only a tourist destination, but a skin care haven. Did you know that the Dead Sea is ten times saltier than the ocean? That it is the lowest spot on the Earth? That the sun shines 330 days there?

The mineral rich water is supported by mineral rich-mud and many local sulfur springs. All the elements available both separately and combined have proven beneficial for psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo. People suffering from ailments such as arthritis and respiratory problems also benefit from a trip to the Dead Sea—some insurance providers even pick up the bill.

If this sounds like a place you’d like—or your skin needs—to be, then act quick. The shore lines of the Dead Sea are receding by three feet every year because water is being diverted from the Jordan River elsewhere.

Apparently a specific grass snake that lives in Kirkpinar, Turkey, is able to cure both eczema and psoriasis. Some other conditions can be treated too, but according to the local practitioners the snakes are most beneficial for skin conditions.

In mid-May these snakes hatch and are collected and fed cow’s milk for two months. During this time four female snake charmers slash practitioners treat sufferers from all over Turkey. In addition to skin conditions, the snakes can also treat headaches, neck aches, backaches and stomachaches. Ten sessions are recommended and involve 10 minutes where the snake slithers on the patient’s troubled area.

To read more about the Turkish healing snakes, read more at “Today’s Zaman.”

Pityriasis Leichenoides et Variolaformis Acuta (PLEVA) or Mucha Habermann’s Disease is a rare skin condition where small red bumps form in clusters on the torso or upper extremities. These bumps often itch and turn to dark scabs and then scars.

The condition is rare. So rare, in fact, that doctors often misdiagnose it as scabies. PLEVA is not deadly and it is not a result of an infection. Many doctors believe it is an immune disorder, though, the exact cause is still not clear. It’s also not clear what the best treatments are.

Antibiotics rarely have an impact so it is recommended that those diagnosed with PLEVA take simple precautions like not touching the affected skin, keeping the area moisturized, and seeking out an esthetician that provides ultra-violet light therapy.