Fish Pedicures

Before I’ve even had a chance to try one of these, I find out they’ve been banned!

Fish pedicures, done by one-inch long garra rufa and chin chin fish, imported from Turkey, have been deemed by several states as being unsanitary. The fish don’t seem to mind sucking the dead skin from people’s feet however.

Fish Pedicure Wikimedia Commons

The main issue is whether the fish, also known as doctor fish, reddish log sucker and nibble fish among a few other names, present a health hazard to customers because grooming tools used on salon clients are required to be disinfected. There’s really no way to disinfect a fish.

Apparently the fish pedicures are ticklish, and can feel like a mild electrical current on your skin, and the purpose is to smooth the feet and relax the cutomer.

Washington, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida and New Hampshire have also banned the practice.

There is, of course, several animal rights groups up in arms about the fish in general, but the overall concern has to do with how sanitary the practice is. Personally, I can’t see how fish can be unsanitary, and wonder if it should be up to the salon clients who should make the decision rather than the Health or Cosmotology boards.