Fish spa pedicure treatments help reduce bacteria and smelly feet
Fish spas have become the fashionable way to get a thorough pedicure, and they can also help to reduce the problem of smelly feet caused by the bacteria that breed between your toes.
In the United Kingdom, the first fish spa opened in 2010 and, since then, the treatment has really taken off.
How fish spas treat foot odour
With a fish spa therapy, the customer plunges her feet into a container filled with warm water and tiny scavenger fish, called Garra rufu fish, Doctor fish or nibble fish.
The Garra rufu fish eat the dead skin that builds up on your feet and provides a haven for odour-causing bacteria. If it sounds unpleasant, just imagine the experience from the perspective of the fish. Unpleasant as it sounds, the treatment has proved effective and the fish don't actually have teeth, they suck and nibble your feet to exfoliate the dead skin layers from the foot's surface.
Health caution on fish spas
In the United Kingdom, the Health Protection Agency has voiced some mild concerns about the treatment. It's worried about the potential of the fish to pass infections from one customer to another. However, many medical practitioners disagree and there's never been a documented case of cross-patient infection due to fish spas.
If you decide to treat your smelly feet to a thorough clean at a fish spa, do choose a reputable practitioner. If the general standard of hygiene and cleanliness is high, the likelihood is that the risk of infection from foot spas is very low.
The UK's Health Protection Agency advises people with medical conditions or weak immune systems to avoid using fish spas, because their risk of infection is greater.
If you suffer from smelly feet, a fish spa could certainly help to reduce the problem, so consider the option.
