Photo Credit: Boston Herald Blog
Yesterday's Wall Street Journal reported on a story that has had beauty fiends, germaphobes, and animal-rights folks in a frenzy for months : for $35 at Yvonne's Spa in Alexandria, VA spa-goers can indulge in a pedicure featuring cuticle-eating fish. With about 100 Doctor fish (or garra rufa) in each individual pedicure tank, the treatment yields the same smooth skin result that a razor and cuticle trimmer would and feeds the little critters as well. Most customers love the results and describe the painless process as "ticklish."
The story has reemerged as Virginia lawmakers consider banning the pedicure because all mani/pedi tools are supposed to be discarded or sanitized after use. Legislators are also concerned about the water safety and residual sanitation issues. While fourteen others states have already banned the treatment, salons claim they drain and refill the plexiglass tanks before each new customer, and that water is as clean as can be.
In terms of environmental impact, the resource use in this treatment seems far less wasteful than other spa offerings - like Evian pedicures. At least the fish are swiming in Tap H20!
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