Fish pedicures come under scrutiny

[The Hat]

It has emerged that the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is questioning the safety of fish pedicures.

The method has become popular for using garra rufa fish to 'nibble away' dead skin. It works by lowering the client's feet into a tank containing the small fish, who feed on hardened skin to reveal fresh, soft layers underneath.

The UK has seen a proliferation of fish pedicure 'spas' recently. But the HPA is concerned that people could be at risk of diseases potentially spread from person-to-person through open wounds.

An HPA spokewoman said: "Following a number of enquiries to the HPA from local environmental health officers over the past six months, the agency is currently investigating if there are any potential risks of infection associated with the commercial use of fish spa pedicures in the UK.

"Alongside colleagues in environmental health, Health Protection Scotland and the Health and Safety Laboratory, the HPA will examine the most up to date evidence of any possible risks associated with garra rufa fish pedicures and will publish guidelines that will be available UK-wide."

However the the HPA and Health Protection Scotland has admitted it is "currently unaware of any cases of infection associated with the use of the fish spas pedicures in the UK".

The negative spotlight will, though, be a blow to many beauty companies who have embraced the fish pedicure revolution.

The latest and perhaps biggest of these to make waves in the sector is high street brand Superdrug.

The health and beauty chain launched Orba Garra Spa at its store in High Street Kensington last month, serving as an affordable way for clients to dip their toes into this fishy sole solution. A taster session, for example, costs £10 while a 20-minute slot is priced at £15.

It joins a shoal of companies - most notably Aqua Sheko, which recently unveiled a location in Soho - that claims fish pedicures are safe and effective forms of grooming.

 

[jimjamjarz]

aha i so want this done!

when i was in tenerife it was 6 euros for half an hour! Wish id got it done then :cry:


lol! x

 

[nixnewcastle]

How did I guess one of the big companies like superdrug would get it in. Hello when did they become beauty therapists? Hope their members of staff are up on their contra indications and are checking every client for them before they let them put their feet in. My guess is no they aren't.

 

[Bourne Beauty]

I would love to offer this treatment, but there's so many little lives, what about when they die?! I'd be in tears! How long do they live anyway?

 

[Silver Fern]

How did I guess one of the big companies like superdrug would get it in. Hello when did they become beauty therapists? Hope their members of staff are up on their contra indications and are checking every client for them before they let them put their feet in. My guess is no they aren't.

They wouldn't be alone, a local hairdressers has got in on it too but just asks clients to sign a form saying they haven't got any athletes foot, veruucas, fungal nail infections etc. Most people don't know what a fungal nail infection even looks like

Had it done once to see what it was like - won't do it again

 

[tog]

Really couldn't bear to soak my feet in a tank of water into which all and sundry had put their feet previously. Yuck, how unhygienic! And since when have Beauty Therapists/ Superdrug employees etc, been experts in fish care?
It's just a fad which will be dead in the water ( like the fish probably will ) by this time next year.

 

[Susie H]

I asked my brother in law about this, he's a health and safety officer for the Lake District.
Several points are being looked into.
The health of the fish, they do come under the new RSPCA rules on keeping animals.
How are you going to make sure there is no cross contamination? Currently spa's, swimming pools etc use clorien and PH levels to control bacterial growth etc and clearly this can't be used due to this being bad for the health of the fish.
Understanding is, that in order for client health to be maintained during any pedicure treatment, each and every client places their feet into fresh water which is placed into a sanitised bowl, fish require an oxigyn rich enviroment with a constant tempreture in order to thrive, so clearly this is not possible.
Where and how are the fish to be kept, stored when not in use in the salon.
Under the RSPCA rules there are strict laws on how fish are looked after.
Thinking so far is that the only sure way to ensure the health of the fish and the health of the client is for some sort of a flowing water system, which would pass through the correct filtration system. While not imposible it will add to the over all cost of installing and maintaining the fish enviroment, especially when you facter in the cost of daily monitoring of the whole set up with a professional who is trained to the correct standard.
The investigation is on going and likely to take some time but should it prove to be as has been found in some states in America to be unsafe. Then not only will you find yourself with equiptment that cant be sold, but you'll also have fish that must be cared for or donated to some where that will suddenly find them selves with a glut of these aquatics.
All at a cost that is unrecoverable.

 

[jonny mack]

Fish keeping has always come under RSPCA animal welfare
My brother in law owns an aquatic shop and he advised a local salon on keeping these garra rufa fish. If you did not control PH levels in a fish tank then the fish would be dead, so I don’t understand your point on PH levels. All aquariums have air pumps to oxygenize the water again these fish would be dead without the pump.
Swimming pools require chemicals as it’s not impossible to accidentally consume the water while bathing. I think you would find it impossible to drink the water through your toes .
What do you mean where are fish stored or kept? This shows your ignorance on fish keeping moving them would cause them unnecessary stress.
This practice is not allowed in 14 states of America, but is accepted in the other 36 states, why?
The fish used in some states where found to be Chin Chin which comes form china, this fish has teeth!!! unlike the garra rufa which has none.

 

[Katmoz33]

I find it quite repulsive to be honest, I think it's filthy, tacky and superdrug can have it!

I'd rather have a foot spa that's clean and soapy, than some stinky fish that float round fish poop chewing any bodys crusty, fungaly, sweaters lol!

But hey that's just me...if the fish were in the sea and naturally nibbling people having a paddle then fine but stuck in a small tank in the middle of a shopping centre...hmmm classy

 

[tonyv]

Hi

a lot of people are saying this is a cruel way to treat these fish, mostly founded on lack of knowledge, and some founded on horror stories heard about the behaviour of the shops, just for this purpose, with untrained staff with no knowledge of care of their customers or the Fish

1. look at the far east where these fish come from, this has been done there for 100's of years.
2. Look at the type of Fish, they are Carp family and a Loach type fish so sucking algae of any surface that they can get to is what they do naturally
3. when putting any fish in a tank you have to consider how many fish in the space provided and water litres, and most importantly can the filter system cope with the waste load produced by the fish, if you have enough space, enough water, and a suitable mature filter system, you feed and care for them properly, then they will be happy

Now my system has 80 fish, in 133litres of water, each fish needs 0.4litres of water, i have a very efficient although not yet fully matured, filter system (It takes about 3 months to mature a filter) to combat the imature filter and keep the fish happy and healthy you need to do regular water changes.

As an experienced Hobbyist fish keeper, and having these fish for about 6 weeks now in salon, no its not cruel they do the treatment :lick: naturally, they appear to love :hug: people putting their feet or hands in, if you go anywhere near our tank they are straight towards you, when doing my routine maintenance they are all over my hands these fish are absolutely fearless, if i put a net in the tank they just swim straight into it, go figure every other fish i own or have owned have always been a devil to net.....

I definatley do not think it is cruel as long as the people who own the fish to use for this service, are considerate and care for the fish correctly, and remember that they are not just a money making tool, they are a living creature....