Mineral water and spas in the United States

In the era when biological treatments for psoriasis are gaining more and more popularity, climatotherapy represents a safe and efficient alternative to the conventional therapeutic modalities. Climatotherapy comprises alternative treatment methods, which are based on the healing capacities of natural resources. This paper provides the reader with relevant information on the different climatotherapeutic methods, the intimate mechanisms of their action, and the cumulated clinical experience in the treatment of psoriasis.

The positive effect of thalassotherapy for psoriasis has been known since ancient times. However, in the past decades a number of controlled studies revealed the efficacy of thalassotherpay in the treatment of psoriasis. Herein, it is exemplified on the experience in the centers at the Dead Sea and the Black Sea coast.

Originating from Europe, balneo- and spa therapy are becoming popular alternatives for psoriasis treatment worldwide. A short review on the centers profiled for psoriasis therapy is provided. The unique sites of Blue Lagoon in Iceland and Kangal in Turkey are selected in this paper. Additionally, alternative nature-based treatments for psoriasis such as high mountain climatotherapy and naphtalotherapy are discussed.

Balneotherapy is the treatment of disease by bathing in thermal spring water. This therapy has been used for centuries and remains a popular form of treatment for dermatologic and rheumatologic diseases today. Although the favorable climates of balneotherapy thermal centers have known beneficial effects on psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, the thermal spring waters themselves can also potentially decrease skin inflammation. The addition of phototherapy to balneotherapy, or balneophototherapy, further enhances the anti-inflammatory effects of thermal spring water. We have reviewed the literature on balneotherapy in the treatment of skin diseases, as well as describing their use in three different treatment sites, each with unique climates and chemical properties of the mineral water used in balneotherapy—the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan, the La Roche-Posay Thermal Center in France, and the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.