Fishy foot spas investigated

Fish foot spa. Photo / Thinkstock

One of the fastest-growing beauty treatments in Britain, fish pedicures - during which tiny toothless carp smooth down feet by eating dead skin - has come under scrutiny from health experts and animal rights campaigners.

The number of UK outlets offering pedicures with Garra rufa, fish that lift off hard skin and, through an enzyme in their saliva are thought to heal conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, is growing rapidly.

Beauty salons are already starting to move on to full body immersion tanks.

Following the decision by more than a dozen states in the United States to ban the pedicures over fears they could spread infection and disease, scientists from the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) have begun an investigation into potential risks.

A spokesperson for the HPA said it did not expect to be enforcing a ban in the UK and believed the risk of infection was very small, but it was looking at publishing guidelines for the public.

"The HPA and Health Protection Scotland are currently unaware of any cases of infection associated with the use of fish spa pedicures in the UK ..." they said.

Animal rights groups have voiced alarm over the conditions in which the fish are kept. "We do have concerns about the welfare of any fish involved in this practice," said a spokeswoman for the RSPCA.

"Fish are covered by the Animal Welfare Act. They need a stable environment, with the correct water quality and temperature range. Sudden changes in temperature should be avoided as they can severely compromise welfare and even kill the animals.

"Water quality is of paramount importance in maintaining healthy fish.

"Having people bathe in the water with the fish is likely to affect quality, particularly if they are wearing any lotions or other toiletries that could leach into the water. Similarly, chemicals used to disinfect tanks and to clean patients' feet beforehand would have to be non-toxic to the fish."

The practice of using the fish to heal skin dates back over 400 years in their native southern Turkish river basins.

Turkey's Government has now made the Garra rufa a protected species over concerns about exploitation by spas, which has led to some outlets in the US using chin chin, which masquerade as Garra rufa but doesn't do the job as well and often dies in the process.

At least three companies in the UK run franchise operations for fish pedicures and several dozen online offer complete kits for a Garra rufa business.

One firm, Appy Feet, has opened 21 stores throughout the UK with double that planned.

BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS

Bull semen: A moisturising hair treatment using Angus bull sperm.

Ox bone-marrow shampoo: Exactly what it says on the bottle. From Brazil.

Nightingale droppings: Salons in Japan and New York offer the so-called Geisha facial as a cleanser.

Snail slime: Farmers in Chile raising snails for the French market discovered secretions gave them smooth and soft hands. They now produce an ooze-filled hand cream.

Snake venom: Several face creams contain a protein that is a replica of the venom produced by the temple viper, said to have the same face-freezing effects as Botox.

Leech therapy: Used for centuries to treat disease, the slimy parasites now appear in a "detox" spa in Austria.

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