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| | Doctor Fish Therpay | | | YES, it’s our feet that keep us grounded and they ought to be pampered from time to time, however expensive the process may be. The process may involve Dr.Fish Therapy treatment. Now, you wouldn’t mind sparing time and money if you are able to maintain a better balance. Thai Spa, a national chain in India , is having a wide range of therapies to do just that. The ‘natural’ foot exfoliation therapy involving fish ~ the Garra Rufa ~ has been introduced in many of our metros since 2009. Known also as Doctor Fish Therapy, all you have to do is to dip your feet in a large tub of sterilized water, with hundreds of these special fish.
When you receive a Doctor Fish Therapy, hundreds of toothless fish use their powerful sucking lips, to literally suck away your dead skin, unveiling your healthy, soft skin that lies beneath. In addition to the nickname “Doctor Fish”, the Garra Rufas are also called “nibble fish” and “little dermatologists”.
How does a Doctor Fish Pedicure compare to a traditional pedicure? When you receive a traditional pedicure treatment a loofa, sponge or file is used to slough off the dead skin and calluses from your feet. This is usually followed by warm oil massage and moisturizing lotion.
What does a Doctor Fish Pedicure feel like? When you first dip your feet in the pool of Doctor Fish, many describe the sensation as tingly or like being tickled. After a few minutes, you get used to the fish touching you and it begins to feel more like a gentle massage.
How much does a Doctor Fish Pedicure cost? The cost of a Fish Pedicure varies from salon to salon and state to state, but ranges from rupees six hundred onwards for a 15-20 minute session. Most salons offer traditional pedicure options, example toe nail shaping and polish, in addition to the fish nibbling session.
A school of fish may pamper you but only after nibbling a bit. It doesn’t hurt or harm. The therapy improves skin conditions and removes dead skin, allowing better skin regeneration. The fish are from fresh water rivers and hot springs of Turkey and they are also known as Reddish Log Sucker and Kangal Fish. The painless tingling sensation on the skin, as the fish nibbles at your feet, leave you relaxed as they produce an enzyme called dithranol, which heals skin problems like acne, eczema, and small cuts, at least for some time. Besides enhancing blood circulation, it lightens minor scars, releases stress and tension, leaving the skin elastic, smooth and shiny.
The therapy isn’t exclusive to Turkey alone, as I found out after a little research. In some parts of Maharashtra, dipping eczema-affected feet into a shallow riverbed and letting tiny fish eat away the damaged skin has long been practiced to treat the condition.
The therapy essentially is based on the relief that the garra rufas’ ability to find and feed on dead or damaged parts of the skin’s surface, helps it heal faster. “The therapy is done for the whole body even, but the idea will take some getting used to in India , so we are sticking to hands and feet fish therapy for now,” says Zehra Merchant, owner of Bamboo Tree Spa in Mumbai.
Some fish pedicure enthusiasts believe that the fish can stimulate acupuncture points in your feet which help to regulate your nervous system, relax your body and release fatigue. Others state that the fish help to remove obstructions from your pores and promote better blood circulation.
To ensure a high level of hygiene, the water in which the fish is kept is changed daily and treated with ultra violet rays to kill virus and bacteria. The pH level is kept neutral and the temperature is maintained at approximately 30 degree Celsius.
But not everyone likes Doctor Fish Pedicures. In October 2008, Fish Pedicures were outlawed in the state of Washington- USA. The Washington Department of Licensing stated that they do not feel the practice is sanitary. "You can clean the tank, you can clean the water, but there's no guarantee that the fish aren't carrying something from the previous customer." In other states of USA, salons offering Fish Pedicures were asked to move away from using a large pool of fish, feeding on several clients at the same time to single pools, only used by one client at a time. Again, to make the process more sanitary.
Doctors are sounding the alarm over how a fish pedicure can could spread infection from person to person through open wounds and cause hepatitis C. One government's agency has even warned, that, "Those with diabetes, psoriasis or a weak immune system are particularly vulnerable." The pedicures, due to fears that infections could spread through open wounds.
Again the procedure involves the 'garra rufa' fish feeding on dead or unwanted skin on the person's foot, in a small tank. Since the tank or large tub that you soak your foot in, is a small, limited space, the
worry is that the water carries micro-organisms and thus health issues can rise when bacteria is transmitted by the fish, either from that tank water itself or then from one customer to another, if the water is not changed between a sitting. Again, though the recommendation is to change the spa water after each client 'sitting', the tank may be sterilised that often due to as this process could harm the 100-odd little fish.
But while the arguments for and again Doctor Fish therapy it's causing a commotion, skin expert Vandana Phadnis tells people not to instantly hit the panic button against Doctor Fish therapy.. "If you really want a fish pedicure, here or abroad, just check first that you have no health conditions. Also see that your feet have no open cuts or infectious skin conditions, to put you and others at risk." |
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