Fish Pedicure
You read correctly... Fish Pedicure!
Several salons around the country are offering this service to patrons. Fish pedicures have been popular in Asia, the Middle East and in the UK for years.
Clients dunk their feet into tanks with Garra rufa fish or "doctor fish." These toothless carp are small fish that nibble away dead skin. Garra rufa are found naturally in the Middle East, Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq.
Fourteen states in the US, including Texas and Florida, banned their use over health and safety concerns.
The risk of infection associated with Garra rufa fish pedicures is likely to be very low, according to experts from the Health Protection Agency. In October 2011 it issued updated advice on fish spas following an investigation.
Fish tank water may contain a number of microorganisms. So there is the potential to catch a range of infections, either from fish to person, water to person or person to person passed on by the water or the fish. However, the HPA says the overall risk of infection is likely to be very low, if the spa operates good standards of hygiene.
However, it advises people with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions, including diabetes and psoriasis, against using fish spas. It says people with these conditions are likely to be at an increased risk of infection.
People with cuts or infections on their feet should allow them to heal before seeking treatment, and it is advised to wait at least 24 hours after having a leg wax or shaving.
