Nibble at my toes a bit more, please !!

Fish Spa in Old Town Corfu

It is bucketing down with rain, and I am pretty wet through, so I thought …

“Why not go pop my feet into an aquarium of sucking fish?”

And this is exactly what I did!

I took myself into Doctor Fish, and there the ladies prepared me for this unique beauty treatment.

First, they washed my feet.

I have the right nail polish color on for the event – the color blue of course.

The fish need to be ensured they are not exposed to any chemicals found in creams and washes, and not to mention the fact my feet had been splashing through the puddles of Old Town Corfu paved streets. So we start with a nice warm wash of water.

Next comes the crazy part. I rest my feet on the glass, and then I immerse them in a tank of fish. It tickles and I crack up laughing, and must admit – I let out a bit of a squeal!

The fish will gently remove dead skin to leave feet smooth and rejuvenated. Not uncomfortable in the slightest, and rather like a jacuzzi sensation. It is like a tiny bubbly massage, I think to myself.

So here is a bit of information I learn as I sit for more than 30 minutes, relaxing and enjoying this unusual massage/treatment.  

Garra Rufa fish are the only species amongst the Carp family that is able to carry out the effective skin treatment. Garra Rufa has also been nicknamed ‘nibble fish’.

The original environment where these fish are found is near Kangal, Turkey – a place of natural outdoor hot springs of around 36 degrees Celcius.

Garra Rufa fish live naturally in hot pools where natural food sources are usually in short or limited supply. In this environment, the fish are attracted to human skin, considering it as a source of food to supplement their diet. How cool is that?

Doctor Fish (as they are also known) feed on dead and damaged skin rather than good healthy skin, which they leave alone.

One of the main reasons for this feeding behavior is that dead skins cells are easier to feed on, as it detaches easily, whereas healthy skin is very difficult to consume.

Due to the scarcity of food sources, it was discovered many years ago that the fish would feed on the dead skin of human beings.  

This is also a healing process for skin where the damaged or dead skin is shed, aiding the healing of skin problems.  

One of the other reasons the ‘Doctor Fish’ are beneficial, is because they produce enzymes which slow down the development of skin cells where skin problems occur.  This enzyme is called diethanol.

I’m told they get rid of skin smear, and aging cortex. They un-obstruct pores and promote blood circulation. 

All I know is they love my feet!  The big ones seem a little lazy. There are a couple of fish-fights in the tank to get to my feet. My feet have never been so popular.

So next I try my hands.  Years of gardening and driving sports cars have left my hands dry and aged before there time.

But the hand treatment is just as nice.

I notice the fish are smaller, and as I pull my fingers out of the tank the fish are sucking for dear life and come with my hands.

What a weird and wonderful ending to this unique experience to have fish hanging off my fingers.

I’m told, “Viruses and disease cannot be passed onto others via water, so fish therapy is a safe means through which to
treat skin.

There are no known side effects to fish therapy, which is safe for both fish and human beings”.

You can find four Fish Spas in Old Corfu Town. If you visit, be daring and have a go. I loved it!

Questions and Comments

• Do you find Greece fascinating?
• Have you been to Corfu in Greece?
• Have you tried on fish therapy?
• How was the experience?
• Do share your comments with us below.