Fish pedicure a risky affair, warn experts

DAMMAM: Fish pedicure or massage is a beauty treatment that is getting popular in several Arab countries, but health experts are wary of it because “the procedure may spread dangerous diseases.”

During a session, a person immerses his/her feet in a tank of warm water and lets the minute, toothless Garra rufa fish nibble away the dead and hardened skin.
The fish are said only to eat dead skin, but health experts have warned that the tiny fish may carry bacteria and can cause diseases like AIDS and hepatitis C.
Although this treatment was introduced for the first time in western countries under the ‘Dr. Fish’ title, the United States continued to warn against it and prevented it in 16 states.
Beauty salons say that the treatment aims to relax the nerves and ease tension through the use of well-trained small fish to peel the feet. In addition, it is said that it helps cure some skin diseases like psoriasis, eczema and callus.
Beautician Mona Hamdi said: “The phenomenon is scientifically named Garra rufa, a kind of small toothless fish which live in fresh water and springs and feed on the affected and dead skin cells. The customer immerses the feet in a tank of warm water containing of 2,000 to 5,000 fish for around 30 to 60 minutes and lets them nibble away dead skin only, with a $25 per session.”
Although this is a relatively recent phenomenon in the Arab world, it was known a hundred years ago in Turkey, Malaysia and it then moved to East Asia, Canada and America, she said.
Speaking on her experience, Asmaa Al-Saied said: “It is a relaxing session, where you wash your feet or hands, then immerse them in the fish tank to get rid of dead skin, letting your skin become soft like a baby’s skin.”
Dermatologist Hani Nazer, former chairman of the Egyptian National Institute of Research, said: “This treatment is serious in light of the possibility of infection transmission from patients with C virus and AIDS to healthy people as most beauty salons do not change water in the fish tank.” She said that there is a lack of scientific evidence to validate the therapeutic claims or cosmetic treatment of fish.
He appealed to health officials to intervene immediately to stop this phenomenon, which has spread in various cities in Arab countries.
Moreover, a health expert also warned of the side-effects of this kind of pedicure, saying that it may cause skin diseases. The expert praised the Kingdom’s ability to prevent it since its inception, through intensified campaigns by Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and municipalities.