In spite of not being the sort of person who tends to spend much time in beauty salons, there's been something I've been dying to do ever since I heard about it.
You know what that is, don't you? One of those fishy pedicure tanks. Full of starving Garra rufa, just waiting to feast on my tootsies.
How was it? A bit tickly - it felt like something vibrating against your foot and you could definitely feel when the larger ones slurped on. Luckily, I am not squeamish at all about having my feet touched. But I am very glad to have gone to a nice new nail place (called Pinkies - no website, or I would give them a shout out, because the owner, Kelli, was absolutely lovely) whose tanks were spotlessly clean. Some of the mobile versions I've seen popping up in shopping centers have been absolutely minging - I can quite understand why they have been banned in parts of the US.
And afterwards? Well, my feet felt nice and soft, but they were very soon back to their usual selves. Honestly, the endless foot filing and lotion slathering maintenance required to wear my Birkenstocks without shame has me almost looking forward to the return of sock season.
There's one of those here ... it's in a fixed shop rather than a mobile version. I mentioned to Andy the other day that I wanted to try it and he was very vocal about how unhygienic they supposedly are. I'm torn because I don't want to be told what not to do by my husband but at the same time I don't want to catch something. Or whatever the outcome of the unhygienic-ness is, I don't know. Fish verrucas?
Maybe I will go and keep it a secret. Or perhaps I will show him your blog entry in an attempt to convince him.
x
Posted by: Heather | 16 July 2011 at 19:59
Ooo-errr. we have a mobile version in a shopping centre in Cambridge and it Freaks Me Out.
You are far braver than I am!
Posted by: dottycookie | 16 July 2011 at 20:07
These have just been outlawed by 'ealth and safety in some Canadian provinces. Can't say I have been tempted though!!! I am not a high maintenance beauty person either but since getting older and moving to an extreme climate, I am happy to fork out for a monthly pedicure!
Posted by: lina | 16 July 2011 at 20:16
I don't think I could do that! I'd be terrified I'd either stamp on them of flick them out of the water!
Shame though, cos my feet are decidedly minging!!!
Posted by: Dragonfly | 16 July 2011 at 20:22
Nooo, you didn't!!!not sure if I am am appalled or envious, quite know what you mean about the sandal shame though...
Posted by: Rebecca | 16 July 2011 at 20:35
There's one of these places on the way to work. I'm a bit suspicious of it, to be honest. What if the fish aren't hungry?
Posted by: The Coffee Lady | 16 July 2011 at 21:00
oooohhhh, me and my (male) friend wanted to try it last year but we forgot...oups!
pedicures and foot treatments are always pretty much the same. it is super for a day or two and after it is back to normal! oh well, this is life ;)
Posted by: Claudia | 17 July 2011 at 01:27
i just love this about you ali...you can just openly talk about the reality that is feet. they do just go back to being feet, don't they? no matter how much we fiddle with them.
(i truly love sock season too)
Posted by: kristin | 17 July 2011 at 07:29
Oh my giddy aunt! I'd love to try one of those but my feet are so grim it doesn't seem fair to the fish!
Posted by: French Knots | 17 July 2011 at 08:37
Eek! How brave of you!
Posted by: domestikate | 17 July 2011 at 09:13
Oooh...not sure I could but I admire you for trying it! My feet love the winter too - mind you, a fair bit of this 'summer' has involved wearing socks so my feet aren't quite as manky as normal!
xx
Posted by: Lesley | 17 July 2011 at 09:31
Eeeekkkk - I'm in the squimish brigade.
I love the idea, am a little bit fascinated, but the whole idea of having my feet nibbled.....blergh.
Well done you.
Nina x
Posted by: Nina | 17 July 2011 at 09:35
not sure i'd be up for giving it a go, but a did discover that my daughters eczema cream {just the basic aveeno cream} works wonders for dry heels! i've had to stock up on more
Posted by: kelly | 17 July 2011 at 15:21
Ooh yes, I'd quite fancy having a go at that. I know what you mean about foot cream efforts - I have several half-used jars! - but don't wish away the sandal season! (although, to be honest, it's kind of disappeared at the moment anyway...)
Posted by: Louise | 17 July 2011 at 15:36
If you wanted to torture me beyond the point where I became unhinged, I reckon you could do worse than stick my feet in that tank. All credit to you though. My feet could do with something... C.x
Posted by: noknittedknickers | 17 July 2011 at 16:01
I've never heard of this! It sounds weird, but strangely fun. Actually, I think I'd like to try it out. Though I, too, would be worried about squashing them.
Posted by: Katherine of Kitten's Lost Her Mittens | 17 July 2011 at 21:38
Oooh my feet definitely need all the help they can get... K x
Posted by: kristina | 18 July 2011 at 08:00
I've never heard of the fish tank pedi! I'm far too ticklish to let fish nibble at my toes, but it does sound lovely in theory. My feet are also high maintenance, so sock-weather is always a welcome relief.
xofrances
Posted by: frances | 18 July 2011 at 13:35
Hi. I've just fairly recently discovered your blog via Sue at The Quince Tree and I'm loving it. I ended up reading backwards right through to when you started it. and yes it would have more sense to start at the beginning and work forwards but hey.
I live in South West France and don't get over to England too often but last time we visited our home town of Tunbridge Wells I tried the fish nibbling and loved it. My feet were a real mess after a year of medical treatment and I was bit wary about the hygiene aspect but if you go to a reputable place it all seems very safe. The water in the tanks is changed many times per hour and my feet were given a thorough check for athletes foot, verrucas etc and I was told to keep my feet quite close together as the fish work as a shoal. I was there for an hour chatting to the receptionist who also made me a cup of tea. It was so relaxing and my feet felt amazing afterwards and still do two months later. I'd much rather have the fish treatment than have my feet attacked with a scalpel. I'd go back any time.
Posted by: Angela Bickerton | 18 July 2011 at 18:44
You're definitely brave Ali. To me it looks like one of those torture devices favoured by reality tv shows!
Posted by: Julie | 19 July 2011 at 20:24
Far braver than me! Oddly there was something in one of the Sunday papers about profits soaring for a pet company thanks to the nibbly pedicures increasing demand for fish tanks and filters. Love it. Cx
Posted by: Cat | 19 July 2011 at 23:36
THAT does not look nice.
I can't. I just can't even think about it.
Shudder.
Posted by: Monica | 20 July 2011 at 14:53
EEK! i can totally see how some people would like it... but i wouldn't.
nature. so disgusting. ;)
(and yeah, gorgeous summer here this year! hooray! we had a long, wet spring, so we weren't sure it would ever arrive.)
Posted by: kirsten | 22 July 2011 at 14:54
One of my friends was just talking about this last week. I couldn't even listen to her description without squirming away...
Still, I started using Dr Scholl's overnight foot cream (or named something like that) a couple of days ago and it has already transformed my heels from rough and cracked to almost completely soft. I'm amazed!
Plus I'm wondering if all the other creams and lotions that lasses use might actually work at keeping the years at bay, but as a no-make-up-wearing-just-soap-and-water-complete-failure-at-being-a-girl type, that part of the pharmacy is just a bewildering maze to me.
Posted by: UK lass in US | 22 July 2011 at 17:12