Fish pedicures: Carp rid human feet of scaly skin

Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:59 AM EDT
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ALEXANDRIA — Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your tootsies in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away.

Fish pedicures are creating something of a splash in the 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.

But Ho doubted they would thrive in the warm water needed for a comfortable footbath. And he didn't know if customers would like the idea.

"I know people were a little intimidated at first," Ho said. "But I just said, 'Let's give it a shot.' "

Customers were quickly hooked.

Tracy Roberts, 33, of Rockville, Md., heard about it on a local radio show. She said it was "the best pedicure I ever had" and has spread the word to friends and co-workers.

"I'd been an athlete all my life, so I've always had calluses on my feet. This was the first time somebody got rid of my calluses completely," she said.

First time customer KaNin Reese, 32, of Washington, described the tingling sensation created by the toothless fish: "It kind of feels like your foot's asleep," she said.

The fish don't do the job alone. After 15 to 30 minutes in the tank, customers get a standard pedicure, made easier by the soft skin the doctor fish leave behind.

Ho believes his is the only salon in the country to offer the treatment, which costs $35 for 15 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes. The spa has more than 1,000 fish, with about 100 in each individual pedicure tank at any given time.

Dennis Arnold, a podiatrist who four years ago established the International Pedicure Association, said he had never heard of the treatment and doubts it will become widespread.

"I think most people would be afraid of it," he said.

Customer Patsy Fisher, 42, of Crofton, Md., admitted she was nervous as she prepared for her first fish pedicure. But her apprehension dissolved into laughter after she put her feet in the tank and the fish swarmed to her toes.

"It's a little ticklish, actually," she said.

Ho said the hot water in which the fish thrive doesn't support much plant or aquatic life, so they learned to feed on whatever food sources were available — including dead, flaking skin. They leave live skin alone because, without teeth, they can't bite it off.

In addition to offering pedicures, Ho hopes to establish a network of Doctor Fish Massage franchises and is evaluating a full-body fish treatment that, among other things, could treat psoriasis and other skin ailments.

Ho spent a year and about $40,000 getting the pedicures up and running, with a few hiccups along the way.

State regulations make no provision for regulating fish pedicures. But the county health department — which does regulate pools — required the salon to switch from a shallow, tiled communal pool that served as many as eight people to individual tanks in which the water is changed for each customer.

The communal pool also presented its own problem: At times the fish would flock to the feet of an individual with a surplus of dead skin, leaving others with a dearth of fish.

"It would sometimes be embarrassing for them but it was also really hilarious," Ho said.

___

On the Net:

http://www.yvonnesalon.com/

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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{"commentId":2253208,"authorDomain":"petitebleurose"}
2xaroundisbetter

I think they have extreme nerve charging for this, as YOUR dead skin is THEIR fish food. Years ago, Americans had nail care within regular, full service salons. Now the Asians have monopolized the industry.
I am ALL FOR free enterprise, however, I NEVER got any nail fungus when the Americans were doing my nails and toes in a full service hair salon. I have gotten several fungus since dealing with the various Asian nail salons. As evidenced by all of the fungus infections I have gotten from un-sanitized tools in these new nail salons that care just about making money, and not the health & hygiene of their customers.

{"commentId":2253208,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"petitebleurose"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#51 - Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:57 PM EDT
{"commentId":2257908,"authorDomain":"jf42bri"}
jf42bri

wow, what a great way to get rid of dead skin on your feet. Where can you buy these fish? I saw this on Good Morning America, this morning. It looked so wonderful. I would love to have the fish everyday.

{"commentId":2257908,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"jf42bri"}
    Reply#52 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:04 AM EDT
    {"commentId":2258583,"authorDomain":"ljshelhamer"}
    Cat Lady

    Any starving fish will do. I used to swim in the gravel pit near my house. There was not allot for the fish to eat, they did not grow very big and nibbled on everyone.

    {"commentId":2258583,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"ljshelhamer"}
      #52.1 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:58 AM EDT
      Reply
      {"commentId":2259539,"authorDomain":"terrijones128"}
      Suffering Son's Mom

      There are hot springs in Turkey where these fish naturally live. Psoriasis sufferers from all over the world go there for weeks or months to immerse themselves in the waters and be nibbled by fish. Frequently these are people for whom psoriasis drugs will not work. The fish do a good job of cleaning up their sore spots, and also, apparently, the fish, in doing their "jobs" cleaning up the dead skin, leave behind, on the bathers' skin, an enzyme which heals the sores and even protects against new sores for a number of months.

      My son has terrible psoriasis and actually spent some time at a treatment center at one of these hot springs in Turkey where he experienced these fish and also met many other psoriasis sufferers who obtained relief from being nibbled by fish. He finally experienced some relief from his condition for a number of months. Those fish are a God-send!

      The fish grow large and are happy--they are not being mistreated at all, and people are provided with relief from their illness. It's not unsanitary. It's not cruel to either fish or people. Maybe if the guy at this beauty salon can keep his fish alive for pedicures, others will find a way to provide a psoriasis treatment center for Americans--that would be wonderful!

      {"commentId":2259539,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"terrijones128"}
      • 1 vote
      Reply#53 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:12 AM EDT
      {"commentId":2259681,"authorDomain":"terrijones128"}
      Suffering Son's Mom

      There are hot springs in Turkey where these fish naturally live. Psoriasis sufferers from all over the world go there for weeks or months at a time depending on the severity of their condition to be immersed in the waters and to be nibbled by the fish. For the most part, these are people for whom modern drugs do not work. The fish "clean up" their sores and also, in nibbling the dead skin, leave behind an enzyme on the sufferers' skin that seems to clear up the sores and prevent new ones for a few months or longer.

      My son, who suffers from a terrible case of psoriasis, and who has found various drugs and salves prescribed by his doctors useless, has visited one of these treatment centers and experienced being nibbled by fish. He found relief from his illness for a number of months after his experience there.

      Many fish had grown quite large. They seemed happy and well cared for in their natural setting. Many people consider them a God-send.

      If the people at this salon in Virginia can keep the fish alive to do pedicures, then that gives me hope that maybe someday some one can start up a treatment center for psoriasis sufferers here in the States that employs these fish. That would be wonderful!

      {"commentId":2259681,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"terrijones128"}
        Reply#54 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:29 AM EDT
        {"commentId":2571065,"authorDomain":"nearandaway"}
        Help4U

        If you are looking for REAL help, and are willing to work for your son's relief, I can help you. I can show you how to set up your own " HOME SPA " using those fish an it will only cost your time and energy to make this happen, plus the 2 dollars at the pet store to buy a pregnant female guppy.

        {"commentId":2571065,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"nearandaway"}
          #54.1 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:50 PM EDT
          Reply
          {"commentId":2622879,"authorDomain":"afriend-1"}
          Chris-457832

          I have done some research on this, and the fish shown in this story are actually Chin-Chin which is a type of tilapia they have teeth. The authentic doctor fish are gara ruffa originating form Turkey. They are toothless and the proper fish for use in this process.

          I have experienced treatment with authentic garra rufa and it is amazing. They really do soften and rejuvenate the skin while removing dead cells.

          In the US there is one salon that does have authentic garra rufa doctorfish (I know, I have visited it).
          It is called Glow Skin Care and it is in Fort Myers, Florida. They call it a "nibbles pedicure" which I thought was pretty clever.

          As far weather or not it is sensible treatment. I have to say, from my experience, yes. The results are certainly there. Is a doctor fish pedicure for everyone? No, I don't think so, some people would be turned off by the idea of fish nibbling at their toes. But I guess you have to try it to decide for yourself.

          When you think of it, what could be more natural?

          {"commentId":2622879,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"afriend-1"}
            Reply#55 - Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:15 PM EDT
            {"commentId":2622908,"authorDomain":"afriend-1"}
            Chris-457832

            I have done some research on this, and the fish shown in this story are actually Chin-Chin which is a type of tilapia they have teeth. The authentic doctor fish are gara ruffa originating form Turkey. They are toothless and the proper fish for use in this process.

            I have experienced treatment with authentic garra rufa and it is amazing. They really do soften and rejuvenate the skin while removing dead cells.

            In the US there is one salon that does have authentic garra rufa doctorfish (I know, I have visited it).
            It is called Glow Skin Care and it is in Fort Myers, Florida. They call it a "nibbles pedicure" which I thought was pretty clever.

            As far weather or not it is sensible treatment. I have to say, from my experience, yes. The results are certainly there. Is a doctor fish pedicure for everyone? No, I don't think so, some people would be turned off by the idea of fish nibbling at their toes. But I guess you have to try it to decide for yourself.

            When you think of it, what could be more natural?

            {"commentId":2622908,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"afriend-1"}
              Reply#56 - Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:18 PM EDT
              {"commentId":2862111,"authorDomain":"calvinktk"}
              Real Garra Rufa

              The fish in the pictures shown above is not the actual Garra Rufa, the name is "Chin-chin Fish" or Chinese Dr Fish which originated from China. They are a kind of tropical fresh water fish of the family Sparidae.

              Garra Rufa fishes originate in Turkey, a kind of subtropical fresh water fish of the family Cyprinidae. You can see the difference in one of the following webpage: or

              {"commentId":2862111,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"calvinktk"}
                Reply#57 - Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:38 PM EDT
                {"commentId":2907373,"authorDomain":"nearandaway"}
                Help4U

                Your web page didnt turn out, i'd like to see the type of Dr Fish from Turkey, I would like to start breeding them here in the states.

                {"commentId":2907373,"threadId":"316715","contentId":"1682855","authorDomain":"nearandaway"}
                  #57.1 - Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:12 PM EDT
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                  {"commentId":10405780,"authorDomain":"breelaboy"}
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