It's not quite your average holiday in the sun.

Manuel has travelled all the way from Portugal to take a dip in this pool infested with flesh eating fish. But for Manuel, that's a good thing, he's hoping the unusual treatment will alleviate his psoriasis - a chronic condition that causes dry, inflamed patches of skin.

"Before getting into the water you think it will feel really strange... But no, not at all. The fish are very nice.” Explained Manuel Gomes.

Sufferers from all over the world flock to this clinic at Kangal, in central Turkey, for what's known as ichthyotherapy.

These so-called doctor fish from the Euphrates river feed on the affected patches of skin. Psoriasis afflicts up to 3 percent of people around the world and is very difficult to treat.

Said Tronnebati a patient explained, "I was so miserable because I couldn't find any drugs to cure my psoriasis. I tried Italy, France and Africa, but I couldn't find any medicine to get rid of the disease."

A complete cure has yet to be found, but the symptoms can be soothed. Dr. Sedat Özçelik, dermatologist said "Psoriasis is a persistent disease. Whatever the treatment, it will reappear. What's important for us is to delay symptoms' return. From my experience, for the patients treated here, this can be about one to two years. So that means after our treatment they can go for one or two years without any medication."

For some, psoriasis can be debilitating and so a dose of fish therapy can buy them precious time to enjoy a normal life. "At the time this photo was taken I couldn't even speak. Whenever I moved my head it was really painful, suppurating my face... When I got here, all the pain disappeared. I'm very happy and I think I'll back every year." stated patient Mihdat Uçan.

For 2000 euros the treatment lasts 21 days and includes eight hours of bathing and drinking several litres of water a-day.

The price includes three meals a day for the patients ... and of course... for the fish too.