Fish spas, tanks of water containing little fish that nibble off dead skin on customers feet, may be responsible for transmitting hepatitis B and HIV, scientists warned this week.
According to Wang Jiahua, a Ningbo-based dermatologist, the popular salon treatment carries a high risk of infection. Wang said he had treated a patient whose legs became hot and swollen days after her first fish pedicure.
The water the fish swim in may contain bacteria, Wang said, and the fish themselves could act as transmitters of infection from one customer to the other if the water is not changed.
This isn't the first time doctors have raised concerns over the risks posed by fish spas, though the UK National Health Service has said the risk of HIV infection is still "very low".
[Image via Flickr]
