As the name suggests, this type of pedicure uses fish. When does the treatment come from and what does it involve? How long does it take and where to have it done? What are the good and bad sides? Are there any contraindications and is it safe? Find the answers and my opinion below.

What is fish pedicure and when it originates from?

It’s a kind of pedicure during which dead skin cells are removed… by fish in a tank. The treatment is offered by beauty salons and clinics. It has similar effect to scrubs and it can be used for hands and other body parts too (known as fish manicure and fish spa).

Obviously, not all species of fish will be suitable for fish pedicure. The only one that works is garra rufa which is max. 14 cm long and has no teeth. Garra rufa is native to warm waters of the Middle East. Currently, it lives in Jordan, Syria and Turkey when it’s called a lucky fish. Its extraordinary properties were presented to the world by biologist Jakob Heckel in 1843. He claimed that garra rufa feeds on stratum corneum even in the natural environment e.g. of people getting into water.

Fish used for pedicure have been labeled Doctor Fish.

What does fish pedicure involve?

At first, a person doing the treatment washes and disinfects a client’s feet. Then, the client puts clean feet into a fish tank filled with warm water. The fish start the exfoliation, or nibble the skin. I felt tickling and slight tingling during my fish pedicure. After defined time, the client takes feet out of the tank and dries them. That’s the end of fish pedicure.

Occupational safety and health vs fish pedicure

Before you decide on fish pedicure, find the right salon. Make sure that:

• fish come from trustworthy suppliers and fish farms;
• tank water is clean and goes through sanitary-epidemiological station checks on a regular basis;
• tank water has been replaced or disinfected after the previous client;
• tank is cleaned after each treatment;
• tank has filter system.

How long does fish pedicure take and where to get it?

The treatment takes half an hour. As I’ve mentioned above, you should have it done in a reliable beauty clinic which regularly disinfects the equipment and follows general hygiene routine.

Benefits and downsides of fish pedicure

There are mixed opinions on the treatment. Fish may transfer dangerous viruses such as HIV, HPV and hepatitis C. To make things worse, despite systematic and correct disinfection of tanks and fish, people may catch infections from each other. Also, if we consider animal rights, fish pedicure is unethical. On the other hand, it obviously has a few benefits. First of all, it boosts blood circulation and, secondly, it thoroughly removes dead skin cells in a natural way. Thirdly, fish secretes dithranol enzyme which softens skin and protects it against recurrence of skin conditions. Do bad sides outweigh the good ones? Taking a decision is down on you.

Fish pedicure contraindications

Fish pedicure is a bad idea when you deal with some of the following:

• warts,
• fungal infection,
• skin inflammation and abrasives,
• HPV,
• blood-borne diseases,
• pacemaker,
• diabetic foot,
• wax leg hair removal before the pedicure,
• poor immunity.

Is fish pedicure safe?

I’ve read about a woman who lost her toenails as a consequence of fish pedicure. At first, they stopped growing, then started falling off and didn’t regrow. Her dermatologist had no idea why it happened, ruling out infections, autoimmune diseases or post-antibiotic treatment side effects. After thorough analysis, her skin doctor came to conclusion that the only possible cause of nail loss was fish pedicure which she got six months earlier. The exact cause is not known but it is highly likely that the nail matrix was damaged due to fish muzzles.

That dermatologist surely doesn’t recommend fish pedicure. The woman’s toenails will eventually regrow but it will take around eighteen months because nail plates extend by millimeter per month.

My opinion on fish pedicure

I’ve had the treatment once and really like the effect – the skin was definitely smoother, dead cells were gone. Even though it was a year and a half ago, I haven’t experienced any adverse reactions but after reading these horrible stories, I’m afraid of repeating fish pedicure. I like my toenails, I’m really attached to them 😀 What’s your opinion on the subject? What do you make of fish pedicure?