This week’s story on leeching therapy continues last week’s blood theme. Just when it seemed that the medicinal use of leeches had died out, the story of actress Demi Moore’s trip to Austria brought it back. She says “it detoxifies your blood”, yet still, many get turned off by the idea of bloodsucking parasites hanging off of them. Thus, a mechanical leech is in the works. The scientists working on it claim that it has the same effeect, but without the “added psychological stress” of using real leeches.
Leech therapy works in two ways. First, it mimics the old practice of cutting, which some believed helped detoxify the blood. Many, however, do not believe that leeches are actually effective in this way. The second way that leech therapy works is that the gentle sucking of the leech promotes circulation in damaged tissues. Hence, this therapy is useful for damaged tissues and during surgical emergencies to avoid the loss of tissue and maintain blood flow. So, in this way, leeching may actually help contribute to Demi Moore’s complexion, if not her “clean blood.”