Tag Archive for "fish pedicures" - Beauty Schools Directory Blog

Are Fish Pedicures Dangerous?

Posted on: June 4th, 2012 by Becca 1 Comment

Are fish pedicures safe?

We brought you the news in May that Cindy Vong in Gilbert, Arizona has teamed up with the Goldwater Institute to sue the Arizona Board of Cosmetology over being barred from offering fish pedicures as a service in her salon. New research has shown that the ever popular fish pedicures may not be as safe as people once thought. The researchers of UK Center for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences have recently performed a study on the fish used in these treatments and their susceptibility to carry harmful bacteria.

A fish pedicure involves a tiny Asian fish called the Garra Rufa. It feasts on a client’s toes to get rid of any dead skin. This may sound barbaric, but Eastern countries have been practicing this treatment for thousands of years. The fish have no teeth and they tickle clients more than anything. The research began with a shipment of the Garra Rufa from Indonesia, which was intercepted and treated at a UK airport for disease. Scientists from the UK Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the fish were carrying a variety of harmful bacteria that were not easily treated. For example, a strand of Vibrio vulnificus was found. It can make open wounds break out and infect people with the lethal disease, Septicemia.

Despite the bacteria found in the fish, there have been only a handful of people who have ever reported being infected with bacteria after dipping their toes with the Garra Rufa. Still, several states in the U.S. have banned the practice, including Virginia and Delaware. Researchers specifically have advised that people with weak immune systems or diabetes to avoid a fish pedicure. A suitable alternative is for salons to order their fish from special facilities where the fish are raised in controlled atmospheres rather than less reliable international sources.

If you decide to visit a salon that offers fish pedicures or new salon in general, there are some guidelines you should follow to ensure that your experience is healthy and clean. This list was put forth by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) in order to help people understand what they can do to avoid getting an infection.

First and foremost do not get a manicure or a pedicure if you have an open wound or infection. This includes everything from bug bites to dry skin. Bacteria could spread or become even more infected by irritation from the treatment. Also, whenever skin to skin contact is involved, there is a risk of transmitting a virus or harmful bacteria.

Nail technicians should have a license to work in the U.S. that allows them to work in a nail salon. Pay attention that the nail technician uses proper hygiene and wears gloves. They also need to use sterilized equipment or replace items for each person. Do not get your cuticles cut or calluses shaved to avoid getting accidentally cut. And if you do decide to take the plunge and get a fish pedicure, ask about the origins and testing of the fish. If you feel the salon is unclean or unscrupulous for any reason, trust your instinct and find somewhere else to go.

Have you had a fish pedicure? Do you or your salon offer the fish pedicure service? Tell us your experience in the comments below!

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Goldwater Institute Sues Arizona Board of Cosmetology Over Fish Pedicures

Posted on: May 4th, 2012 by Becca No Comments

2008 was supposed to be a prosperous year for Cindy Vong who had opened her Lavie Nail Salon in Gilbert, Arizona two years previously. However, the Vietnamese native was forced to close her business after introducing a “spa fish pedicure.” For those who have never heard of a fish pedicure, each session involves clients sinking their feet into a tank filled with Garra Rufa fish. These specially imported Chinese carp will then begin to nibbme at the dead skin on a person’s foot. This is a pain free process that tickles more then anything as the toothless fish eats their lunch.

Before a client entered the fish tanks, Vong would check each foot for any potential wounds or cuts. Then the feet would be cleaned with antibacterial soap before entering the fresh water used during each treatment. Once the fish had their fill, then the feet would be cleaned once more with soap.

However, according to the Arizona Board of Cosmetology this was not up to par on health codes. The board expressed their concerns in November 2008 to Vong that they felt the carp were not allowed under Arizona state health codes. Then a couple of months later in January, Vong received a letter from the head of the board, Sue Sansom. The letter stated that she was in direct violation of safety standards and that she could face criminal charges if the fish stayed. Vong was left with no choice but to remove the fish from her salon until granted an appeal. She has since been in court for two years fighting the charge.

Garra Rufa fish have been used for centuries in Asian counties. However, some states, like Virginia, Delaware and 17 others, do not agree with the practice and have made it illegal.

This past Friday, The Goldwater Institute fought on Vong’s behalf at the Maricopa County Superior Court. The Goldwater institute is a public policy nonprofit organization founded by Barry M. Goldwater. The head attorney, Clint Bolick, argued that the ban on the fish pedicure was not constitutional because their are no regulations on the fish found in the bylaws of the Arizona Board of Cosmetology. Therefore, the Goldwater Institute claims that they are unfairly punishing Vong from potential clients.

An attorney from the Goldwater Institute said, “Vong has a right to earn an honest living, and the board has no business shutting down her spa fish therapy… This case stands for entrepreneurs who think outside the box, especially during times when economy is not so great.”

The cosmetology board in Arizona then argued that fish could easily spread bacteria via open cuts on someone’s foot. However, Vong cleaned and checked each foot before the treatment. Also, the fish have no teeth and it would not be possible for them to penetrate the skin.

The courts will decide if the ban on Vong’s fish pedicure was unjust over the next few months.