Would You Let a Fish Give You a Pedicure?

How far will you go to get pretty feet? There’s a new trend in the world of beauty that has some health officials concerned. The demand for an unconventional procedure known as a “fish pedicure” is growing in popularity. A fish pedicure is a foot treatment that involves placing the feet into a tank filled with small fish called garra rufa. These fish enthusiastically devour dead tissue on the feet leaving them softer and easier to manage. This is usually followed up by a standard pedicure performed by a human.

Both salon owners and customers are enthusiastic about this procedure once they get over the initial fear of placing their feet into a tank of small, fish that nibble on flesh. Many spa goers find a fish pedicure to be relaxing and enjoy the slight tingling sensation created by the frenzied action of the feeding fish. The pedicure performed by garra rufa fish is painless since the fish are toothless and only feed on dead skin tissue. How much does this experience cost? It can run anywhere from forty to sixty dollars for a thirty minute dip into the tank. This is profitable for the salon owner who only has to maintain a tank of several thousand small fish which he can use over and over.

So, why are health officials concerned about the growing phenomenon of fish pedicures? According to officials, a fish pedicure can cause tiny nicks or scratches on the skin which have the potential to become infected with bacteria and fungus. These fish are kept in non-chlorinated water which could be a source of bacteria and fungi that could lead to foot infections. So concerned are health officials about the growing phenomenon of fish pedicures that they’ve been banned in many states and other states plan to follow suit.

A fish pedicure is considered to be a luxury in the spas that offer it; but there’s concern about how the small fish are treated. To make them more efficient at performing their job, the fish are given little food – motivating them to attack the dead skin tissue on feet with more enthusiasm. Even upscale spas in the Washington D.C. and New York City area are capitalizing on this trend, although New York senator Jeff Klein is working towards banning this practice both for its health risks and the inhumane treatment of the fish. This could be a problem for the salon owners who have invested heavily in these fish which cost up to four dollars each.

What will be the fate of this unusual practice? Will getting a fish pedicure go the way of other ill-fated beauty trends? Many health officials are hoping so.