Iceland's Blue Lagoon
Luxury Spa And Psoriasis Treatment
by Jonathan Byron of Med-Owl.com
June, 2005
Imagine combining a vacation at a spa with treatment for a medical
condition. Medical
tourism is growing, whether someone wants a relaxing retreat for
healing, or if they are travelling for an operation that they couldn't
otherwise afford. I recently combined a trip to Iceland with
visits to both the famous Blue
Lagoon and the newer Myvatn
Nature Baths spa, both of which are said to help with psoriasis and
other skin conditions.
Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for this review, my own psoriasis
is relatively light and I have been in remission for about a year, with
only occasional small patches. So I can't tell you if the waters
worked for me. But I can tell you about my pleasant spa experience there
and review the research. And I took lots of pictures.
The air was cool when I went in early June (around 40 degrees F) and
there was a breeze blowing, so I moved quickly to cross the 20 foot
walkway from the locker room to the lagoon. It took only 3 or 4 seconds
to get into the water, but I was very aware of the cold for that brief
moment. Once in the water, every thing was fine. Exceptionally
fine.
Along the edge of the lagoon, the temperatures of the water are below
body temperature but not at all cold. Moving around, I was able to
find areas that were warm, very warm, and even a a few spots near vents
that I would describe as hot. There are ledges that make good
submerged benches, and many parts of the lagoon are gently sloping so
that people can stand or sit with just the right amount of water to keep
them mostly covered from the brisk winds. No part of the lagoon is very
deep - the greatest depth is somewhere around 4.5 or 5 feet.
Scattered around the lagoon are boxes filled with the white mineral
'mud' that comes out of the geothermal vents. Many people cover their
face and shoulders with the mud and lean back to relax. I couldn't
really cover spots like the elbows, as it was too cool and windy to keep
my torso out of the water for long. And here's a tip I learned the
hard way: apply the mud gently. The mud is like sharp sand, and
can be abrasive. Don't scrub with it, just pat it on and let it soak in.
(This warning is probably unecessary for women, but could be valuable
for men who brush their teeth with the force that is needed to clean the
tar off an old engine.)
A good soak in the BL will leave the skin feeling chalky, and I believe
that this contributes to the healing effects. It is similar in
some ways to calamine lotion or colloidal oatmeal, two other proven
therapies for the skin. So while many people are eager to wash away all
the coating, I just rinsed lightly in the showers to maximize the dermal
effects.
The Research
A search on the National Institute of Health PubMed database turned up
two references to the Blue Lagoon in Medical journals. It is
mentioned in passing in this abstract about Balneotherapy.
There was an article specifically on the Blue Lagoon and psoriasis in
the Journal
of Clinical Dermatology, but that abstract is not available to the
public.
A brochure I obtained at the Blue Lagoon claims that in the short run
(1-2 weeks), the healing waters are better for psoriasis than UVB light
therapy. At around 3 weeks, the effects of the mineral waters seem to
level off and are nearly the same as for UVB (approximately a 50%
reduction in PASI scores). When the waters are combined with UVB, there
is an additive effect - the improvement is quicker than with UVB alone,
and the improvement does not 'stall' out or plateau. The brochure
claims that at 4 weeks, PASI scores are reduced to ~15% of their initial
value using a combined mineral water/UVB approach, while the UVB only
treatment reduced the PASI score to ~40% of its initial level.
I don't know where the spa got these numbers (maybe from the Clinical
Dermatology article?), but I don't doubt them. Psoriasis patients in
Iceland do report benefits from the waters. Friends in Reykjavik agree
with the published research.
Beneficial Minerals
The waters at the BL are a milky blue color due to the high
mineral content. A chemical analysis of the water showed that it is
particularly rich in Silica.
This is consistent with the research that shows that Silica can be
beneficial for the skin, joints and nails of people with
psoriasis. A controlled
study carried out in Finland found that a combination of oral and
topical silicic acid (aka colloidal silica) led to clear improvements in
psoriatic lesions and arthritis pain. Fifty percent of the patients
receiving silica had complete remission around the nails, while the
group receiving placebo did not improve. Jarrow is one company that
manufactures a colloidal silica supplement.
The geothermal waters also contain significant amounts of sulfur.
Around the edges of the lagoon the sulfur preciptates out, leaving
yellow deposits. At a minimum, the sulfur has a mild exfoliating effect.
It may also have a specific biochemical effect, and a
study has shown that significant amounts of sulfate can be absorbed
by the skin.
There have been suggestions that unique algae or beneficial bacteria
that thrive in the hot springs that feed the spa may contribute to the
health benefits, although this has not been thoroughly investigated.
Spa Facilities
The facilities at the Blue Lagoon are well designed. A modern
Scandinavian theme is harmonizes a refined interior with the rugged
landscape. There is a cafe open during normal hours and banquet
facilities and a bar for special occassions. Massage therapy is
available on site. The locker rooms are large and clean, and the
lockers use waterproof plastic bracelets with a digital chip that acts
as a key: hold the bracelet up to the sensor by your locker, and it will
lock or unlock your personal effects. The bracelet seemed loose on my
wrist at first, and I was worried I might lose it in the lagoon. But
after a minute of fiddling with it, I figured out the bracelet, and was
it securely fastened.
New Facilities for Psoriasis
Treatment
While I was there, workers were busy opening a new facility
specifically for people with psoriasis. The new facilities are
adjacent to the existing spa, and include a separate indoor pool,
outdoor lagoon, Ultra-Violet light equipment and 15 rooms (30 people at
double occupancy).
Other Thoughts
The Blue Lagoon has a line of cosmetics and sells these on their website.
I am not a consumer of cosmetics, but my wife and daughter like them
(neither has psoriasis, and not all the cosmetics are intended for
psoriatic 'flakes' like me).
The landscape around the Blue Lagoon is other-worldy, and it has been
described as one
of the most photographed places in Iceland. Located conviently close
to both the International Airport and the Capital of Reykjavik, the BL
is easy to get to. If you aren't staying in the medical facility, you
probably want to find a room in Reykjavik; there are regular buses from
the capital to the spa for a few dollars.
The cost for a day pass is normally around 1000 Krona (currently around
$15), although when I went there was a special and the price was around
half of that. Passes for longer time periods (weekly or monthly) are
available at a discount. Prices for a stay at the medical facility were
unavailable when I was there, although I am trying to get that
information.
Of course, there is also the matter of getting to Iceland. Most people
use Icelandair, although other
carriers connect Iceland to Europe. The price of flights goes up sharply
in the summer (not surprisingly) when most people want to visit the
country. International airline travel is unpredictable, but my
flight (end of May to Middle of June) cost around $600. Winter
travel packages to Iceland are often very affordable ($300 - $400) and
may include a hotel or rental car.
Like Sweden and Norway, Iceland is a rather expensive country to travel
in. If your budget is tight, plan to avoid restaurants, especially fast
food franchises that remind you of home. Look for less pricey local fare
or visit a grocery store for some of your meals.
When I first visited the BL in the mid 1980s, it was far more primitive
than it is today. The changing facilities were small huts.
The bathing facilities were closer to the geothermal electric generating
station, and the water temperature was not precisely controlled as it is
today. The Blue Lagoon has definitely improved with time, and is a great
experience. It may not be the most cost effective treatement
available, but if you like to travel to out of the ordinary places,
Iceland's Blue Lagoon offers you the chance to work on your skin while
you have an adventure. I can't promise you a cure, but many have
found it to be a good treatment.
