Fish pedicure, also known as fish spa or ichthyotherapy, is a type of cosmetic treatment in which a person soaks their feet in water while a specific type of toothless fish eats dead skin. It has both its supporters and clear opponents.
What is a fish pedicure? This is what the procedure and safety issues look like
A fish pedicure involves immersing your feet in a tank of water filled with fish. The price of the treatment is not particularly high and ranges from PLN 40-150. Garra rufa fish, sometimes called doctor fish, they eat dead skin from the feet, revealing smooth, callous-free skin and cleaner cuticles. It is popular in Turkey and other countries in the Middle East, where it comes from, but we can also see it in Poland, especially in large cities, but also in tourist destinations. The treatment has become popular because it exfoliates fish and feet in a painless way. The fish pedicure tickles but doesn’t hurt. There are several reasons why this type of pedicure may be considered risky or dangerous. So you should exercise caution and verify before the procedure whether he or she properly follows sanitary recommendations.
- It is difficult to disinfect containers between customers because the fish would have to be removed and the fish themselves cannot be disinfected.
- Some fish may be confused with another species of fish, chinchin, which can grow teeth and bite, causing pain and increasing the risk of infection.
- There have been reports of staphylococcal infections following fish pedicures due to the presence of pathogenic bacteria in the fish.
- There is a risk of blood-borne diseases being transmitted between customers if one person has an open cut that bleeds into the pool.
Unfortunately, not everyone can benefit from fish therapy. The main contraindications are: mycosis, warts, warts, carriers of infectious blood diseases, skin inflammation, abrasions and cuts, diabetic foot or active diabetes, blood clotting disorders, pacemaker, conditions that reduce immunity and skin irritated after waxing.
Fish pedicure. It is controversial and has been banned in many countries
The purported benefits of a fish pedicure include reducing calluses, smoothing the feet, and exfoliating dry skin and rough spots. However, a pedicure performed at a trusted salon will provide similar results, as will the use of a home-made pumice stone or foot scrub. So the risks associated with a fish pedicure outweigh the benefits. Moreover, fish pedicures are banned in at least 14 states in the US, as well as in Mexico and parts of Europe and Canada. Position of the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene
Compliance with strictly defined cleanliness standards in beauty salons and compliance with contraindications significantly reduces the risk of infection transmission during ‘fish pedicure’ treatments, which, in the light of available data, can be assessed as low.
Source: Gazeta
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