Fish pedicures are harmful to both humans and fish. Photo credit: Tracy Hunter via Flickr
The U.K.’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science did a study on the fish involved. ”To date there has been only limited information on the types of bacteria associated with these fish,” lead researcher David Verner-Jeffreys told The Medical Express. “Our study identified some of the species of bacteria associated with this fish species, including some that can cause infections in both fish and humans…The (strep) strain we isolated typically only causes disease in fish…We then went on to look at other consignments of apparently healthy imported G. rufa and found some other species of bacteria that can cause disease in humans and fish.”
They found bacteria such as Aeromonas, Mycobacteria, and Streptococcus. All of these cause skin infections in humans. The study also showed that the bacteria are very resistant to drugs. Thankfully this gross practice is banned in 14 states including California. It’s not worth harming little fish and giving yourself a possible infection to achieve results that can easily be obtained by a regular old fashioned pedicure.
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another filthy moneytrap
Terrible idea….poor fish
yuck! that’s pretty gross!
just another form of animal abuse
GROSS!
Stupid !
Stupid !
curelty to animals is cruelty to animals- this is cruel- and stupid-
stupid ass people on this planet….
Let me say I received a deadly bacteria from my fish that I had at home and it took over a year to diagnose…they do carry bacteria that can be harmful if you have an open cut or even a small abrasion on your hands or feet.
bizarre and somewhat disturbing…
It just creeps me out!
yuck.
wow, this sounds stupid. are people really too lazy to do it themselves, they need fish to do it for them? throw the idiot in a shark tank with some chum, let’s see if it eats away at the dead skin on her feet.