I've never really bothered with my feet, having been lucky and not had many veruccas or athletes foot. However, perhaps with all the running I will suffer a little more wear and tear on them. I was intrigued when Dr Spa opened in Norwich, and today was the day I tried it out.
From their website, here's the science:-
Garra Rufa or Spa Fish are the name of the primary fish used in the spa treatment known as a fish pedicure, fish reflexology which involves the Garra Rufa fish nibbling at the dead skin to leave feet feeling soft and smooth. Also known as Doctor Fish or Kangal Fish - named after the town in Turkey where the fish are found in abundance - these Garra Rufa fish have become very popular in the development of spa techniques across the world.They claim the fish will:
- Work through unsightly built up hard skin on heels and soles
- Effectively assist with treating psoriasis and eczema
- Stimulate acupuncture points
- Improve blood circulation
- Relax the body reducing fatigue
So how did it fee? Having soaked my feet in warm water for a few minutes, we were ready to enter the main tanks. I followed the instructions carefully. Lower the feet slowly into the water so as not to scare them, and don't stand on the bottom of the pool or you'll squish them. As soon as my feet entered the cool water hundreds of tiny fish swarmed around them and began nibbling away at whatever was there. There was no pain, just tickling as they worked all over the foot's surface. There were a few uncomfortable moments when the little buggers went between my toes. I wiggled my feet to get them out, and then tried to close my toes tighter together. After a while it stopped feeling like tickling, and was more like a tingling, a vibrating sensation as they continued removing the dead and toughened skin. With my 15 minutes up, I slowly removed my feet and the fish held on for as long as the could without coming out of the water. A quick dry and antibacterial spray, and then it was finished.
Are my feet softer now? There's certainly less rough skin. Are they healthier? Don't know. Was it relaxing? I personally found it hard to relax while being eaten alive. Will it make me a better runner? Probably not, but it was a very interesting experience.
