Woman Loses Toes After Fish Pedicure

Woman Loses Toes After Fish Pedicure

You’ll probably think twice before letting some little fish nibble on your heel after this…

A woman has reportedly lost all her toenails after indulging in a “fish pedicure.” You’ve probably seen these while on vacation to tropical locations, but they are still in practice in some areas of the states.

If you’re unfamiliar, the pedicure involves allowing tiny fish known as “doctor fish” to nibble at the dead human skin residing on the foot. The fish naturally do this when there is no plankton present. According to a report from dermatologist Shari Lipner via NYDN, the process isn’t the most sanitary, as the tanks are near impossible to clean fully between customers and the same fish nibble on different customers, increasing the probability of spreading bacteria between individual uses.

Apparently, this is what occurred with the unnamed woman in the report. About a month after receiving her pedicure, she noticed her toenails separating from her foot. Her dermatologist determined that she was suffering from onychomadesis, a condition in which the nail plates separate from the skin. This is the first known case of the condition caused by fish pedicures.

The fish pedicure is banned in 10 states and several European countries. If you’re o vacay and need to tend to your toes…maybe look into doing it the old-fashioned way.

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