Fish Pedicure

I love pedicures. Looooove them! They’re one of the few spa treatments that I can enjoy sans pain (I’m highly ticklish though, so that’s another mess!) Massages and manicures are a little too rough for me. Weird, I know. My feet however, can take the rubbing and scrubbing and be better for it. More than loving pedicures, I almost always need them because my feet suffer from my Barefoot Contessa tendencies and I can’t go around looking like Frodo from Lord of the Rings.

I decided to try a fish pedicure recently because: 1) I’m on a mission to try as many new things/things I’ve always wanted to but never had, and 2) I’m a Pisces (the fish). The body part we rule are the feet. Fish tending to my feet = meant to be! So I made an appointment at one of the several parlours in Nairobi that offer these fancy fish pedicures, grabbed my BFF Nafisa, and off we went! I’d obviously done my research before we got there and I was comforted in the fact that our attendant knew her stuff. She made sure to wash our feet and run us through what is not allowed and once satisfied we were good it was time to get the show on the road!

 

 

 

Both Nafisa and I were very nervous at first. The fish looked very hungry and it was lunch time! Scary! The first contact was hilarious! We were both laugh-screaming so loudly! It felt so strange. So alien. But what else would many little fishies nibbling at your feet feel like? A few minutes into it and we were kind of getting used to the peculiar feeling but not quite over it. We fed those hungry little suckers (because they do suck) for nearly 30 minutes and then had to get the regular ol’ pedicure going. Honestly, I was expecting my feet to be baby soft and smooth based on all the hype but it was not all that. A bit of a damp squib there. My pedicurist advised that it takes a few sessions to achieve that effect. So maybe I’ll be back. Maybe not. The novelty was worth it though. So try it if you dare.

 

A few things about fish pedicures:

1. The fish are called Garra Rufa and they have no teeth so they do not bite. Rather they suck and “nibble” on dead skin.
2. People with open cuts/sores, diabetes, compromised immunity (like HIV) and old folks are advised against partaking in the fish pedicures as the fish may make their situations worse or affect the next user.
3. Feet should be thoroughly cleansed before the fish can do their thing.

 

*** Visit Oceanic Foot Spa in Westlands if interested. Look them up on Facebook.