Photography by Ralmonline/Flickr
While the thought of tiny fish dining on your feet may already be repulsive enough, according to recently released data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fish pedicures are actually just downright dangerous.
Public health officials first raised red flags about the new fad when fish pedicures, which hail from Southeast Asia, became popular abroad in 2008. The pedicures, which consist of basins or ponds filled with “doctor fish” that nibble away at the dead skin on feet, were deemed unsanitary. This led to bans in different states and provinces across North America, but no substantial amount of evidence has mounted up against the controversial pedis until now.
David Verner-Jeffreys, the lead researcher for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team on task, said the inch-long, toothless carp can carry harmful bacteria on their scales and in their waste, meaning that even the tiniest scrape could become a huge liability if it’s exposed to these seemingly harmless fish.
The potentially bacteria-laden fish coupled with water’s inherent nature as a breeding ground means these pedicures spell out serious trouble, especially for individuals with pre-existing conditions that weaken their immune systems.
If all this new evidence isn’t enough to deter you from trying fish pedicures, the fact that there’s already been a bad bacteria outbreak might just do the trick.
In April 2011, a batch of imported doctor fish from Indonesia to Britain caused an outbreak of Streptococcus agalactiae, which can cause severe ailments such as sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. Other bacteria strains can cause serious gastrointestinal issues and skin or wound infections.
Perhaps the most chilling part about these bacteria is the fact that they are resistant to a number of drugs, putting fish pedicure clients at further risk.
The beginning and end of it is that a pumice stone is not only just as efficient when it comes to sloughing away dead skin, but a heck of a lot safer. Needless to say, we’ll be steering clear of these little fishies.
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