Wandering through the bustling tourist streets of Bangkok, Thailand, a sign caught my eye: “Fish Massage: Only $300 Baht For 30 Minutes!” My mind instantly conjured up a comical image – a carp, lounging on a massage table, cucumber slices over its eyes, a moist towel on its forehead, utterly relaxed as Thai masseuses worked on its tiny fish spine and fins.
Chuckling at this absurd mental picture, my gaze drifted downwards to a large aquarium encircled by a wooden bench. Peering into the water, I saw a swarm of small fish. Four people were seated on the bench, their pant legs rolled up, pale legs gleaming as they dangled in the water, watching with amusement as countless fish pecked at every inch of their submerged skin.
The women managing the tank explained in broken English that these were “Doctor Fish.” For a mere $5 US, they would expertly devour all the dead skin cells from my legs and feet, leaving them incredibly smooth. I was intrigued, yet observing the crowd already immersed in the tank, I found it all a bit too peculiar. Besides, it was getting late, and I was more in the mood for eating fish than being eaten by them.
Months later, hundreds of miles away in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I encountered the same phenomenon. Suddenly, questions flooded my mind: “What exactly are these fish, and do they genuinely eat dead skin cells?”, “Why do they do this?”, and “If these fish inhabit local lakes and rivers, is it safe to swim, or will I become fish food?!”
It turns out, Doctor Fish are not actual doctors – surprising, right? They are a species of toothless fish known scientifically as Garra rufa. You might also hear them called nibble fish or reddish log suckers. These fish are native to river systems in the Middle East, specifically Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. According to numerous “fish spa” websites, the discovery of Doctor Fish’s dead skin consumption habits dates back to the 1800s, in the natural hot springs of Turkey. Since then, they have been used to treat skin conditions like psoriasis and other ailments. By 2006, the concept of using “doctor fish” for smoother, healthier skin had gained traction, and these little fish found their way into health spas across Europe and Asia. Their rising popularity has led the Turkish government to legally protect Garra rufa due to concerns about over-harvesting and commercial exploitation.
So, what drives doctor fish to nibble on dead skin cells? The real reason is quite unexpected. They don’t naturally crave human skin! In their natural habitat, Garra rufa primarily feed on aufwuchs – a mix of small plants and animals that coat rocks and other hard surfaces. However, in thermal waters, these food sources are scarce, leaving these perpetually hungry fish to seek any available sustenance. Human legs, laden with dead skin cells, become an easily accessible buffet. To encourage the fish to “work,” spa owners often underfeed them, ensuring they are always eager for a snack.
After uncovering this information, a critical question arose: “Is this practice actually safe?” It turns out, I’m not alone in my concern. Fish Spas have been banned in several regions of the US, Canada, and Europe due to hygiene and health risks. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) highlights several issues: the difficulty of maintaining proper hygiene in aquariums, the risk of disease transmission from using the same fish on multiple clients, and, surprisingly, the impossibility of sanitizing the fish between uses! The Health Protection Agency in the UK, while acknowledging that the risk is low, concedes that “there is the potential for transmission of a range of infections, either from fish to person (during the nibbling process), water to person (from bacteria that can multiply in water), or person to person (via water, surrounding surfaces and fish).”
Now, whenever I walk past a “Fish Spa,” I can’t help but picture hundreds of starving Garra rufa, swimming in a soup of dead skin cells and potential pathogens. This is far from the relaxing image I initially imagined – although, my first thought of a carp with cucumber slices wasn’t exactly accurate either. Therefore, if you’re dealing with persistent skin issues, my advice is to consult a real doctor – a human one! For foot care and exfoliation, safer and more hygienic methods are readily available.
