"Trendy fish pedicure could spread HIV and hepatitis C," The Sun has reported today. His cover story said that the officials an "alert" about the treatment, popular in beauty spas, where small fish are used to gnaw hard foot skin areas increased.
While The Sun has been carping on about warnings and alarms, the newspaper seems to overestimate the degree of risk, health experts have called "extremely low" described. Rather than a warning, the message is based on a report by the Health Protection Agency, which has set out good practice for the so-called "fish spas" that offer the service.
While the report acknowledged that the risk of infection could not be ruled out completely, it is important to see them in context and not in the wound fishy headlines.
What exactly is a fish pedicure?
A fish pedicure is a beauty treatment that uses dozens of tiny fish to nibble away dead and hardened skin from feet. During a session a person their feet immersed in a tank with warm water and leave the minute, Garra rufa fish nibble toothless about 15 to 30 minutes. The fish are just told to eat dead skin cells, although there are some anecdotal reports that they can break the skin when they nibble on deep.Fish pedicures have long been used as a beauty treatment in Turkey and the Far East, but have only recently been introduced into this country. In the few years since the first British "Fish Spa" has opened in the treatment of popularity by leaps and bounds due to celebrities and high profile press coverage. The HPA said that as of spring 2011, she is aware of 279 in operation (although it's probably much more).
A small number of spas can also use other types of fish pedicures, as Chin fish make. However, the HPA says that this is not used, because her teeth when they get older to develop, and can therefore, at greater risk to public health.
What has to examine the report?
The report examines a number of issues in relation to fish pedicure, including:
- Possible ways infections occur.
- To capture the risk of blood-borne viruses like HIV and hepatitis.
- The risk of bacterial infections.
- The risk of catching fluke parasites such as worms.
- The risk of transmission of diseases such as athlete's foot and warts.
- Procedures that are no health risks.
- Could reduce.
What the report has found?
The report considered three main ways that a person could catch an infection:- Of a fish or an aquarium.
- From the tank water.
- From another person on surfaces such as floors.
Blood-borne viruses.
Viruses such as HIV and hepatitis are transported in the blood and in theory could be transmitted through water tank, if someone were to use a cut or abrasion in a tank with traces of blood of an infected person with cuts.
However, there is only anecdotal evidence that Garra rufa fish blood and says the HPA that any blood-borne viruses they come into contact with unlikely to remain on the surface of their mouths are and lead to infection. Any blood in the tank is probably due to the volume of water will be diluted.
During transmission are not completely excluded by this method, the HPA says the risk of infection by blood-borne virus in this way is extremely low. Following this, the HPA is recommended that the fish spa customer interface and abrasions check before and after each meeting.
Parasites.
Fish-borne parasites such as tapeworms and flukes, which are captured by humans when they eat uncooked fish. However, the HPA says that there is no evidence that these can be caught from a fish pedicure, since this would require the taking of fish or the water.
Bacterial infections.
The report saw a number of specific harmful bacteria, including those that cause Legionnaires' disease and salmonella. In general, as a low risk, since they would not be included, or broken skin would cause an infection needs.
However, certain bacteria as a greater risk of infection were identified. For example, Staphylococcus aureus can infect human skin, if they had eczema or psoriasis. As a kind of bacteria Mycobacterium marinum, which is associated with non-chlorinated swimming pools and aquariums that might cause boils, transmitted when broken skin.
Fungal infections such as warts and athlete's foot.
Fungi are known to survive on inanimate surfaces for long periods and could therefore be passed from infected clients to walk barefoot. Nevertheless, the HPA suggest that this mode of transmission is not unique to fish spas.
Thus, fish pedicures safe?
The Health Protection Agency says that "identified on the basis of the evidence and the consensus of experts, the risk of infection as a result of a fish pedicure is probably very low." The agency has several groups that are not recommended for fish pedicure by have increased risk of infection, how to sketch people with diabetes or a weakened immune system.The HPA also specifically on the possibility of transmitting blood-borne viruses like HIV and hepatitis. The agency says that in theory, transmission could occur when infected blood came from a person in an open wound on another person with the same tank, although again the risk is "extremely low". Would in part because of the risk factors such as the dilution effect of water and the fact that infected blood would be unlikely to remain the fish's mouth can be minimized.
The agency does not say, however, that the risk of infection cannot be ruled out completely, and to reduce this risk even further, they have drawn a list of recommendations for fish spas.
What recommendations, the HPA has to be done?
The HPA has extensive recommendations on how fish can reduce the risk of further infections spas made. Below are some of the big ones.Groups to not recommend a fish pedicures have
The agency also says fish pedicures not for people that may increase the risk of infection or are at risk of infection for other clients advised. These include people who:
- have their legs waxed or shaved in the last 24 hours (they may be tiny cuts that increase risk of infection).
- have any open cuts, sores, abrasions or cracked skin on the feet or lower legs
- an infection of the feet (including athlete's foot or warts)
- have psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis, the feet or lower legs
- Diabetics (leading to an increased risk of infection)
- have blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV
- have an immune deficiency due to illness or medication
- have bleeding disorders or take anticoagulants (eg heparin or warfarin)
The HPA recommends:
- Clients should be consistent with medical information about potential risks, including specific guidelines for conditions that increase the risk of infection are made available.
- Customers should make sure their feet examined both before and after the treatment that they are free of cuts and infections. Staff should log that these checks were performed.
- Feet should be washed and rinsed thoroughly before a pedicure to minimize the number of microorganisms transferred into the tank.
- Is there evidence that bleeding should be empty during a meeting of the tank occurred and thoroughly cleaned? The HPA has thorough guidelines on how to disinfect tanks pulled in a fish-friendly way. After 48 hours in a holding tank of fish can be reused.
