A fish spa in British Colombia, Canada, has been forced to shut down by the health authorities after they found out that the spa offered fish pedicure
A fish spa in British Colombia, Canada, has been forced to shut down by the health authorities after they found out that the spa offered fish pedicure which involves fishes biting off dead skin from the legs. The Purple Orchid Spa in Duncan, Vancouver, makes use of live garra rufa fish, which are imported from Turkey. The customers are asked to submerge their feet in the water and the fish go to work, biting off the dead skin.
However health authorities expressed concern that such a practice might spread disease and asked the owner, Dixie Simpson, to stop the service and warned that she could face a fine of $25,000 and a jail term of six months if she refused to do so.
Dr Murray Fyfe, of the Vancouver Island Health Authority, said that there is a real danger regarding the spread of disease. “The issue really is that fish can carry pathogens, bacteria that themselves are hazardous to humans that have skin infections and the fish can also pick up pathogens from the environment”, he said.
Source-Medindia