Fish Foot Spa – The Latest Innovation in Healing Therapy

In the recent years, fish foot spas have become increasingly popular option for skin cleansing the natural way. Therapy that uses fish has been practiced since the 1900s and even much earlier than that. The reason for the success of this therapy is that it is very simple and painless.

Fish Foot Spa – New Skin Treatment Method

Fish foot spas are used widely for cosmetic purposes but it was initially introduced as a medical treatment procedure. Patients suffering from skin ailments like eczema or psoriasis were encouraged to immerse the affected part in a tub. The fishes would gently eat away the loose skin in the affected area in less than an hour. The cleaned skin feels smooth and fresh to touch. The fishes tend to avoid eating healthy intact skin cells and the whole process causes only a ticklish sensation, making it a popular treatment choice. Many fish foot spas have been set up in Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Ireland, UK, USA, and many other countries.

Fish Therapy – Safe and Simple

Many beauty parlors and skin clinics have a separate section dedicated for fish therapy, pedicures, and manicures. The original fish species used for this therapy is Garra rufa, a gentle kind of fish that removes dead skin cells through a suction-type nibbling action. Research has also revealed that this fish also secretes an enzyme that is beneficial for the human skin. Chin chin, a species of Tilapia is another type of fish used for fish therapy. While Garra rufa can be kept in an aquarium at home, it will not be suited for therapeutic purposes because the skin feeding behavior is induced only in conditions of scarce food supply.

Fish Spas – Very Popular

Many people visit fish spas because this therapy for cleaning dead skin cells is relaxing, harmless, and fairly quick. The procedure involves placing the feet or the body in a tub filled with Garra rufa fishes, popularly called ‘Doctor Fishes’. Hundreds of these fishes would swarm around and start nibbling on the exposed areas of the skin, removing all dead skin cells and leaving the area clean and smooth. Skin experts compare the treatment to using a pumice stone to clean the body. But the added advantage of this treatment is that it also acts as a method of relaxation and ideal for bringing down stress levels. The main concerns related to these spas are the hygienic standards and frequency of water replacement as this kind of treatment is prone to spreading infections from one person to another.