Over the past couple of years a new trend has emerged in the health spa sector. This new trend is that of the fish pedicure and it really has been making huge waves in the industry. Specialist spas have now popped up throughout the UK, including many in London, where the Anesis Spa, located in Clapham, is the largest and best-known fish spa.

Nevertheless, health fears over these kinds of pedicures have emerged over the past few days, with the Health Protection Agency in the UK launching an investigation into the treatment. Fish pedicures are carried out by Garra Rufa fish, with these fish sucking and scraping off dead skin. But now there's a concern that these fish could facilitate the spread of diseases from individual to person.

A spokesperson for the Health Protection Agency said, “The agency is currently investigating if there are any potential risks of infection associated with the commercial use of fish spa pedicures in the UK.”

They did nevertheless go on to say that they were at present unaware of any risks and that there had been no reported circumstances of infection up until now.

There is actually history with regards to the risks of fish pedicures. In the U.S. many States have stopped this form of spa treatment. For example, back in 2008 the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation said that they had been “concerned that using the same fish to clean the skin of multiple customers could transmit infections.” The result of this was that they banned fish pedicures through the state of Texas and that ban remains in place today.

A similar ban appears unlikely in the United Kingdom but these health fears will undoubtedly slow down the rapid growth of this industry.