What You Need to Know Before Doing a Fish Spa

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Fish spa is a type of treatment that is usually done for feet, where you will be asked to put your feet in an aquarium full of fish. The type of fish commonly used is Garra rufa, a toothless fish species commonly found in the Middle East region. The purpose of using fish in the fish spa method is to remove dead skin cells. Garra rufa will eat dead skin cells and as a result, your feet will feel smooth and soft.

The fish spa trend starts in the Middle East, where fish Garra rufa found in the rivers of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. This treatment quickly spread to Asia, Britain and America. However, currently fish spas have been banned in several regions of the United States for health and safety reasons.

Benefits of fish spa

Fish for fish spa, namely Garra rufa, commonly used in ichthyotherapy, a therapy to treat skin problems, especially psoriasis, a permanent condition that causes the skin to thicken, red, and scaly. A study was carried out on 67 people with psoriasis, and had a bath in a pool containing around 250-400 fish Garra rufa. The water in the tub is always checked for cleanliness, always filtered and sterilized and replaced 3-4 times a day. Fish that are also used routinely are given special fish feed each therapy session ends. Each patient was asked to soak for a certain duration of time for three weeks, and none of the patients shared the same soaking tub.

The results of this study state the satisfaction of 67 people who participated ichthyotherapy. After 3 weeks, there were significant changes in their skin. However ichthyotherapy this is carried out together with the administration of UVA radiation, so it is not known whether with fish therapy Garra rufa alone can give the same results.

In addition, fish spa is claimed to stimulate blood circulation and facilitate blood circulation, eliminate bacteria found in the legs, and reduce foot odor. Fish spa is also called to work on acupuncture points found in the legs so that it can improve the health of the nervous system, relax the body, and reduce fatigue.

Negative side of fish spa

However, this fish spa treatment is not without negative effects. As explained earlier, fish spas are banned by several states in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several states in the United States prohibit the use of fish spa treatments because:

The aquarium cannot be cleaned thoroughly before being used by the next user, thus allowing the transmission of certain diseases from one user to the next.
The fish used for fish spas also cannot be replaced or sterilized, so the same fish will be used continuously for different consumers.
The type of fish called Chinchin sometimes it is often mistaken for fish spa because of its similar shape, but not like Garra rufa, Chinchin have teeth so that it can cause bleeding. The presence of blood in the aquarium can increase the risk of spreading infectious diseases.
Fish Garra rufa which is used for fish spas can be deliberately starved to eat dead skin cells. This includes animal crime.

In 2000 it was found that more than 100 salon customers in northern California were fond of doing pedicure and foot bath experiencing skin problems that leave scars afterwards. A study conducted by the California Department of Health Service and CDC found that this happened because of the cleanliness of the water used for foot bath in the salon is not good.

How to stay safe when doing fish spas?

If you are curious to try fish spa, there are some things that you should pay attention to, including:

It's best to avoid fish spas if you have just shaved your legs, because even if there is a small wound, this can increase the chance of infection.
If you have diabetes, have a weak immune system, have diseases that are transmitted through body fluids (such as HIV and hepatitis), or if you have foot infections such as disease athlete's foot, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis, so you should avoid fish spas in public places.
Make sure the place you are going to visit is kept clean and the water in the fish spa aquarium is always replaced regularly.

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