Fish Pedicures: A Unique Spa Experience

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Fish pedicures, featuring garra rufa fish that nibble away dead skin, are gaining popularity in the Washington D.C. area, with a local spa reporting over 5,000 customers in four months. The treatment is seen as a unique alternative to traditional pedicures that use razors, which have raised sanitation concerns among regulators. While some patrons find the experience enjoyable and describe it as ticklish, there are concerns about the fish's aggressiveness and potential harm to live skin. The conversation also touches on humorous aspects of the treatment, including playful references to the fish's culinary uses and the idea of fish-related puns. Overall, fish pedicures are positioned as a trendy and novel spa experience, though they come with mixed feelings about animal welfare and hygiene.
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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/21/america/NA-US-Fish-Pedicures.php?
Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your feet in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away.

Fish pedicures are creating something of a splash in the Washington D.C. area, where a northern Virginia spa has been offering them for the past four months. John Ho, who runs the Yvonne Hair and Nails salon with his wife, Yvonne Le, said 5,000 people have taken the plunge so far.

"This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet," Ho said.

He said he wanted to come up with something unique while finding a replacement for pedicures that use razors to scrape off dead skin. The razors have fallen out of favor with state regulators because of concerns about whether they're sanitary.

Ho was skeptical at first about the fish, which are called garra rufa but typically known as doctor fish. They were first used in Turkey and have become popular in some Asian countries.
 
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Kind of like using maggots to heal infectious wounds and stuff? The carp will only eat the dead skin?

Pretty cool idea, but then your feet smell like fish the rest of the day.
 
I'm just waiting for the story of the salon owner who accidentally uses pirhanas.
 
I heard about this recently too. It sounded like torture to me. One of the patrons described it as tickling! I'm VERY ticklish on my feet! :bugeye:
 
Do you think PETA will be get upset about this?
 
I'm afraid that the fish will get too aggressive and start eating too much. At what point does ripping off dead skin start to rip off live skin?
 
It gives a special taste to the fish, they are served in top class sushi restaurant.
 
humanino said:
It gives a special taste to the fish, they are served in top class sushi restaurant.

:smile::smile:

It gives a whole new meaning to sole sushi.
 
I thought I was eating toe-fu.
 
  • #10
Math Is Hard said:
I thought I was eating toe-fu.
:eek:
 
  • #12
I've been to hot (actually warm) springs in the Jemez mountains in New Mexico where someone has released neon tetras and they will come up and nibble on you, its really quite hard to notice, and funny to watch them...
 

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