beth_parker's Blog

If you're like me, your feet take a beating. You're on the go most of the day. Maybe you exercise. Maybe, just maybe, you sometimes wear shoes that aren't exactly a perfect fit. That daily wear and tear can be eased a bit by a trip to a salon. A pedicure can at least smooth over some of the damage. A business near Fort Belvoir in Virginia is introducing our area to a new type of pedicure. It involves fish. That's right, fish. They're a species of fish called the garra rufa. They come from hot springs in Turkey. The water's so warm that there isn't much for the fish to eat. The result - they nibble on human skin. Dead skin. At Yvonne's Hair & Nails in Fairfax County they call it "Dr. Fish". I tried it. I sat with my feet in a pool for about 15 minutes. Tiny fish nibbled at my feet. It tickles a bit - kind of like when your foot falls asleep and it's tingling as it wakes up. The owner of the business - John Ho - says he uses filtered water that he cleans every day. They check all clients. Anyone with a small scrape, even a bug bite, cannot enter the water. He says they go to great lengths to keep the water clean. It costs $25 for 20 minutes. I can tell you from experience it does leave your feet feeling soft and smooth - that is if you can get past the idea of fish nibbling away at you!