Ichthyotherapy

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You may not have heard of this fairly new type of therapy in the United States by it's scientific name, Ichthyotherapy, but you may have heard of fish pedicures.  That's right!  You actually immerse your feet, hands, or other parts of your body and allow live fish to eat away the dead skin, fungi, and bacteria.

The fish used are called Garra rufa, "doctor fish", "nibble fish", or Kangal fish.  The first benefits were observed in Kangal, Turkey.

As with everything, there is a positive and negative side.

• The positive side is that the fish probably do help with some skin conditions.  The nibbling at the skin most likely energizes blood flow to the surface similar to vigorously rubbing the skin.  Pretty cool life experience that can be checked off the bucket list.
• The negative side poses a couple questions.  How clean is the water - I mean, where do the fish go potty?  If the fish are eating dead cells from one person, can those same dead cells be transferred to the next person?  Are the tanks sterilized between each patient?  Are the fish checked for diseases?  Are the fish starved to make them go after dead cells?

I don't think Ichthyotherapy is in my future anytime soon.  Then again, I'm probably not the right person to give advice since when I do get a manicure or pedicure I'm the very first person in the salon in hopes of all the equipment and tubs being sterilized.  Then I cross my fingers and hope all goes well.  I'm more of a home-girl when it comes to manicures and pedicures.

Your turn:

Do you get manicures and pedicures in a salon or do you do them yourself at home?  Would you ever consider Ichthyotherapy?

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