An Untraditional Pedicure Using Fish

I don't really care for live fish. Snorkeling has been known to draw a few tears from my eyes and I'd rather not swim in the middle of a murky lake where questionable things go bump against my leg. Despite all this, my curiosity has once again bested me.

I was recently in South Korea and the bus that I rode from the airport down to Osan Air Base had an informative magazine of things to do in the area. One of the ads was for Escape Salon which included a picture of feet in a pond of fish with a heading that simply read "Dr. Fish." After a brief shudder and a puzzled thought, I moved on. Two weeks later my husband and I found that we had made absolutely no plans for Cupid's Day and as the day was ticking by uneventfully, I thought of the strange fish-filled salon nearby and half jokingly said we should check it out. One hour later found us walking through the salon doors.

We asked the nice lady at the door what the Dr. Fish thing was all about and she explained that it's a community tank where the fish surround and eat all of the dead skin off of your feet. Gross? Yes. Freaked out? You should be. What inspired me to succumb to this form of personal torture, I have no idea.

Whether it was a foot or a finger, whenever anything came close to entering their habitat, the several hundred fish would swarm to the spot like an off-the-wagon Atkins dieter at an all-you-can-eat pasta buffet. The squeamish chicken that I am, it took about fifteen minutes before I was able to let my feet touch the water. This wasn't so much due to a surge of bravery as it was embarrassment that everyone in the salon was watching me be a fool. After the initial shock and trepidation, I soon grew to actually enjoy the experience. The sensation was like a thousand bubbles aerating the bottom of your feet, similar to a setting in a fancy at-home foot bath. Though be prepared to giggle like crazy, especially if you have ticklish feet. A typical session is fifteen to thirty minutes and it truly is a thorough, one of a kind pedicure.

In the beginning, the only way I could manage was through the distraction of reading the article they had available that explained this strange experience. The fish are actually "Garra rufa" and typically originate in Turkey and other Middle East river basins. I learned there was no fear of them eating my entire pinky toe as they only consume dead skin and have no teeth. Besides their beautifying benefits, they can also be used to help treat ailments such as psoriasis and eczema. A gentleman at the salon also told us of a similar experience he'd had in Japan where they actually soak in a full body bath with these remarkable fish so that your entire body can reap the rewards of being smooth as a baby's tushy.

Our never-to-be-forgotten Valentines Day experience cost us a mere four dollars each. This service is increasing in popularity in many Asian countries, as well as Belgium, The Netherlands, and now it's arrived here in the States. I've discovered that there are now Doctor Fish salons in Virginia where you can experience this same unique treatment, though it's going to run you closer to $35 for the same fifteen minutes. Expect more salons to be offering this service soon.

Source:
Doctor Fish Wikipedia
Dr. Fish on Good Morning America Doctor Fish