Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Fish pedicures involve sitting your feet in a tub of warm water while tiny fish nibble away at your dead foot skin. They are popular in some areas, but are they safe?
What’s a Fish Pedicure?
Fish pedicures involve submerging your feet in a bath of warm water that is filled with tiny fish, called Garra rufa. These fish then nibble away at your thick scaly dead skin. They have been used for many years in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures to help remove thick scaly skin, and also help treat conditions like psoriasis.
The Garra rufa fish are also called “doctor fish.” They are native to the Persian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean. They typically attach to rocks via suction and eat plankton. But when starved of their natural food source, they’ll eat dead human skin. And voila, the fish pedicure!
Are Fish Pedicures Safe?
Fish pedicures have actually been banned in several American states, as well as in some parts of Europe. The biggest concern about them is that they may lead to infections. The same fish are often used between various people, and there is a risk of spreading disease if the water, or fish, are not adequately sanitized between pedicure clients. Also, if clients have cuts or sores on their legs, there is an added risk of transferring disease.
One study reported infection with the Staph bacteria in a person after a fish pedicure. Another report in the Journal of the American Medical Association linked fish pedicures to abnormal toenail growth in a woman several months after she had a fish pedicure. The woman developed a condition called onychomadesis, where the toenails shed. However, there is some controversy as to whether the fish pedicure caused the abnormal toenail growth versus an unrelated issue.
Courtesy: Shari R. Lipner, MD.PhD. Jamanetwork.com
Possible health risks aside, the harvesting of Garra rufa fish for fish pedicures may not be the most sustainable or environmentally friendly practice either. The fish run the risk of overharvesting, which may endanger the welfare of the fish and their environments. In fact, the Turkish government has proposed legal protections for the Garra rufa fish to guard against its endangerment for the practices of fish pedicures.
Conclusion
In Dermatology News, two dermatologists weighed in on the issue of fish pedicures. They concluded that because of the potential risk for infection, as well as the risk to the Garra rufa fish, fish pedicures for strictly beauty or aesthetic reasons should perhaps be avoided.
Featured Image: Graham Hills via Flicker
