Fish pedicure or Fish- spa anyone?

source: Fish Pedicure or Fish Spa anyone? - News - Bubblews

Have you ever had a fish pedicure or gone to a Fish-spa in your life?

Apparently after gaining immense popularity in countries such as China, Japan, Croatia, Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore and others, the fish pedicure has gained grounds in India also with the "doctor fish" or the Garra rufa species of fish being beneficial in curing people who are afflicted with psoriasis (which is a skin infection more or less) by having the fish nibble on your ten toes.

Garra rufa fish are supposed to slough off the skin from your toes as they foray for food, since they are kept in modified aquariums where there are purposely not regularly fed, which is why they feed on your toes.

There is no documented proof to prove the positive or negative effects of going to a Fish-spa, but there are enough people who would try something different in the name of novelty and hence this is being used by savvy salon and other owners to promote their spas/salons to keep the profits rolling in.

You are invited to dip your feet in a modified aquarium of sorts in a Fish-spa,whether stand alone or in one of those swanky malls which have sprung up all over india now and while you relax and read a magazine, a bunch of fish nibble at your toes.

This practice is prohibited in certain parts of United states of america and Canada due to unsanitary procedures, such as not cleaning the tank properly for every new customer.
But in other countries where laws are not so strict, Fish-spa owners get away by insisting that they change the fish regularly or "recycle fish" and clean the tank after every use.