Fish Pedicure

Have you ever imagined going in for a pedicure and being treated not by one but by over a hundred beauticians all at the same time? Well, you can avail of this option now, provided you don't have any qualms about the fact that the beauticians I'm talking about here are fish! Yes, the latest fad to take the beauty world by storm, fish pedicure is becoming a huge rage in various parts of the world and is available in a lot of beauty salons and leading spas nowadays. Given below are details regarding how fish pedicure works and what are its effects.

How Did Fish Pedicure Come into Being?
A fad that Western countries are only waking up to now, fish pedicures have been around since a long time in Asia and Turkey. In fact, legend has it that a shepherd, after injuring his foot, placed it in a hot spring and small fish there nibbled on his injury and managed to treat it. And thus, the word about this new foot care treatment spread right from Turkey to many parts of Asia. It is already a well-known treatment for dry and cracked feet in Japan and in fact, in Japan many people even opt for full body immersion in fish tanks.

What is a Fish Pedicure?
In this type of pedicure, feet are to be placed in a large tank that contains small fish, known as Doctor Fish or Garra rufa, which are tiny, finger sized carp, feed on the dead skin of the feet. Yes, the dead skin that accumulates on the surface of feet is their meal. So, they tend to first feed on the heels or the region where there is most amount of dead skin and then, clean up the areas around the toes. Contrary to what some people may think, these fish do not have teeth and are not piranhas! So, they simply nibble on the feet and most women that have tried out a fish pedicure, say that initially, they felt a little odd, with tingling in feet, but later, they felt quite relaxed, once they tried to avoid thinking that the debris on their feet was someone else's feast! This pedicure usually lasts for about half an hour or so, and then, is usually followed by a complete pedicure and foot massage.

Why is Fish Pedicure Banned in Some States?
Yes, sadly, the fish pedicure is banned in a few states in the U.S., including Texas and Florida. One of the most well-known fish pedicure centers in the U.S. is based in Virginia, which does not seem to have a problem with this treatment. The reason why it got mired into a controversy was because it was said that this treatment is not sterile. The fact is, that in most cases, though the water is changed on a regular basis, the fish cannot be changed, nor 'sterilized' because they are living beings. Also, the fish are too expensive to be 'thrown away' after a single pedicure session. Although there are still conflicting reports regarding whether or not this treatment is clean enough for people, the fact is that it has been outlawed in many states. So, sadly, some fish enthusiasts may have to travel to another state to avail this exotic foot treatment.

Many women that had complaints of dry cracked feet said that they felt their feet were much softer after this pedicure. However, at the same time, the opinion is divided regarding the cleanliness and hygiene levels maintained, despite the fact that in most places, the water in the tank is cleaned five times in an hour. For some people, this treatment option may seem overpriced. On the other hand, some people say that repeated sessions of fish pedicures managed to considerably improve their eczema and psoriasis. This is because it is said that the saliva of the fish contains a healing enzyme called diethanol. In the end, it's your call on whether you wish to indulge in this feet fetish or not, especially keeping in mind that there's not something, but everything fishy about it!