Garra Rufa fish, which eat dead flesh, are becoming popular in the West for pedicures, and can also be used to treat psoriasis. We put them to the test
LETTING a flesh-eating fish loose on my skin isn’t usually top of my list of things to do on a Saturday morning. But after a summer of flip-flops my feet are in dire need of some TLC, and so it is that I find myself sitting in a beauty salon in Dublin about to dip my toes into a tank of Garra Rufa fish and let them do their worst.
Also known as “doctor fish”, Garra Rufa are famous for their appetite for dead skin. They are found in the hot spring waters of Kangal, central Turkey, where they have been nibbling the skin of bathers for decades.
As well as removing dead skin, the fish are said to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis, and a whole spa industry has grown up around the springs, with people spending up to three weeks bathing in the fishy waters. Fish pedicures are now enjoying their day in the sun in the West, with centres popping up in the US, UK and now Ireland.
I have to say I’m a little nervous, particularly about how the fish will know when to stop eating. However, salon owners Margarita and Alexander Ciudac assure me it’s painless. “They only eat dead skin,” says Margarita. “And they’re toothless, so they don’t bite you. It’s ticklish at the beginning, but give it a few seconds and you’ll be fine.”
As Alexander scoops about 200 fish into a square glass bowl filled with warm water, Margarita cleans my feet and scrapes off some hard skin. “The fish could eat it all,” she says, “but you would have to do it every day.” Margarita tells me that as well as eating dead cells, the fish are thought to release an enzyme that softens the skin.
The fish live in two aquariums in the salon, and are scooped into individual bowls with fresh water for each client. There’s a UV filter in the tanks to kill bacteria, and feet are washed thoroughly, so the fish are only eating clean skin. Clients are advised not to apply lotions such as fake tan before having the treatment, as the fish don’t like chemicals and it won’t be effective.
I gear myself up to take the plunge. Fortunately, the idea is much worse than the reality. As I dip my feet into the bowl, the inch-long grey-green fish swarm towards them with an almost magnetic attraction. They move constantly, flickering over my toes and under my arches and paying particular attention to the big toe on my right foot.
The sensation is more like a buzz than a tickle – as though a small electric current is being passed through the water – and it soon settles down to a low fizzing, which is actually quite pleasant. It’s said to be relaxing, and I can see how that is, although I spend most of my time leaning forward, too fascinated by what’s happening in the tank to just sit back and relax.
Margarita, a beautician, and Alexander, an ex-professional footballer, opened their salon in December last year. “I saw a programme on TV about them and was really interested,” says Alexander. “So I did some research on the internet and found out about them. They’re very popular in America.”
Margarita says they’ve never had a problem persuading people to dip their feet, even if some clients are more prepared than others. “Some people who have been bought the treatment as a present and don’t know what they’re getting can be surprised.”
The novelty factor is a big draw, especially among groups of girls. There are enough fish for four people to be treated at once, and as the fish get to work the TV plays Sex and the Cityre-runs or, perhaps more appropriately, Finding Nemo. "It's a good atmosphere because everyone comes and laughs," says Margarita.
Although most clients come for pedicures, some are searching for an alternative treatment for long-term skin conditions. Judith Butler (44), from Arklow, suffers from psoriasis on one leg and visited the clinic in April.
“The relief was brilliant,” she says. “I hadn’t got any sleep for the best part of a year before I went, but even after the first session I got a good nights’ sleep out of it. I’ve still got marks but the itchiness and stinging is gone.
After 15 minutes, I remove my feet from the bowl of fish and am surprisingly disappointed that it’s over. The skin on my feet does feel softer and the vibrating sensation has left them feeling very relaxed. Margarita finishes off my pedicure with some foot lotion and a lick of nail varnish, and I’m left with lovely feet and a weird sense of gratitude to the tiny fish who’ve vacuumed off my dead skin.
A fish pedicure at the Margarita Beauty Salon in Sutton, Dublin 13, costs €60 and lasts one hour. margaritabeautysalon.com
