Japanese spa launches live snail facial
A beauty salon in Japan is offering visitors the slimy treatment of live snails crawling on their faces in a bizarre new spa trend.
Women who want to be rid of dead skin, clear their pores or roll back the years can book five minutes with the molluscs.
"Slime from snails helps remove old cells, heal the skin after sun burn and moisturise it," Manami Takamura, a spokeswoman for Tokyo-based beauty salon Ci:z.Labo, told AFP.
"In this way, you can have 100 per cent pure snail essence directly on the skin."
Snail slime is believed to have an anti-ageing effect on human skin.
Ci:z.Labo beauty salon says is the first live snail treatment in Japan.
Customers booking the Celebrity Escargot Course will get five minutes of snail therapy, as well as a massage and other facial treatments.
"You can feel the snails moving on your face," said customer Sayaka Ito.
"At first, it is surprising, but it's actually rather nice."
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