Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed her latest unusual beauty regime: letting herself be stung by bees.

The Iron Man star said that the treatment – apitherapy – had been used for thousands of years but had fallen out of fashion in recent times.

In an interview with The New York Times where she shared beauty advice, she described herself as being “generally open to anything”.

“I’m always the guinea pig to try everything. I’ve got to try them all.”

The 43-year-old said that apitherapy is used to “get rid of inflammation and scarring” and that it was “actually pretty incredible if you research it”.

“But, man, it’s painful.”

Apitherapy also covers the use of honey for medicinal purposes as well as being stung – bee venom therapy.

It involves angering the bees so that they sting a person on the affected area of the body.

Any benefits have not been scientifically proven but it has been used to treat arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Paltrow also said she “loves” acupuncture and is keen to try cryotherapy, the use of extremely low temperatures to treat medical issues.

The actress also has a history of subscribing to fad diets, spending her 20s on the macrobiotic diet, eating mostly beans and vegetables and chewing her food more thoroughly than most people.

She told The New York Times that she has “a slightly easier philosophy, all around, than 10 years ago”.

She added: “I think I see now that life is really a balance. And it’s great to eat nutrient-dense organic food, if you can.

“It’s also really great to drink a vodka and have French fries. Your metabolism does slow as you get older, though.

“If I have to get into tiptop shape, I have to be more careful. But I also don’t seem to care as much as I did.”