Health insurers have paid out an estimated ¥9.3 billion in claims for a skin ointment that is increasingly being used by some as a cosmetic beauty treatment, a survey by an industry body has found.
Demand for Hirudoid ointment, normally prescribed to treat atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, spiked after it was touted in magazines and on the internet as a cheap and effective moisturizer.
Unable to view this article?
This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software.
Please add japantimes.co.jp and piano.io to your list of allowed sites.
If this does not resolve the issue or you are unable to add the domains to your allowlist, please see this support page.
We humbly apologize for the inconvenience.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
PHOTO GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.