Just 10 years ago in Russia and European countries, no one knew the name of the fish that do peeling. And those who have never vacationed on the coast of Turkey or Syria did not even suspect the existence of the exotic Garra Rufa pedicure.
In the Middle East, the procedure appeared 5 centuries ago . It was then that local healers discovered: if you expose the rough skin of your feet to these nimble sea inhabitants for six months, you can get rid of many dermatological problems.
Fish peeling is experiencing a surge in popularity in the CIS countries: a fun procedure suitable for adults, children and pensioners, lovers and singles . Pisces do not need vacation and employment according to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, but at the same time they are ready to work for you 24/7.
However, as with any venture, the details are critical to the success of a fish spa business. In order for the business to develop, the fish to be healthy, and the premises to pay for itself, it makes sense to turn to experts from the first days. They will teach how to care for marine workers, advise on legal issues, and suggest proven solutions from the height of their experience.
You need to introduce a fashionable new product into beauty salons wisely: the business plan can be downloaded for free on the Rufaspa website. There you can also get advice on any other questions about exotic SPA. Well, we’ll tell you further how to avoid problems when visiting a salon.
WHAT IS FISH PEELING
The Turks observed this method of cleansing and healing in wildlife: under natural conditions, these unusual fish feed on organic debris from the skin of sperm whales.
The name “Garra Rufa” is translated from Turkish as “Doctor Fish” , because the saliva and mucus of these representatives of the carp family contain special medicinal enzymes.
Today, fish spas can be found in all corners of the world. Peeling fish are especially popular among tourists.
In pursuit of impressions and fueled by all-inclusive alcohol, vacationers don’t even think about the unsanitary conditions of coastal SPA establishments, but in vain. Next we will tell you why.
Pros and cons of the FISH SPA procedure
Of course, humanity has not yet invented procedures that are ideal in all respects. Likewise, fish that peel are useful in some ways, but harmful in others if hygiene is neglected.
To be fair, let's first look at the advantages:
- Painless fish pedicure or manicure. The temperature in the Garra Rufa aquarium is maintained at 32°C. Under such conditions, human skin softens easily and quickly, which allows dead tissue to be eliminated without any discomfort. The fish have no teeth: only soft jaws and tickling antennae.
- Simultaneous micromassage activates metabolic processes, improves cellular respiration and blood circulation.
- The relaxing effect allows you to escape from the hustle and bustle and get rid of neurosomatic tension.
- The enzymes in the saliva of these 8-centimeter “cosmetologists” have a softening and antiseptic effect (for example, dithranol is used in the treatment of psoriasis).
- The targeted effect on hardened tissues keeps living epidermal cells intact, unlike chemical analogues of the procedure.
- The skin becomes softer , and, although the purely cosmetic effect of a regular pedicure is 6 times higher, for example, it is much easier to lure a man to a fish peel than to a beauty salon: even a brutal biker will allow the fish to “bite his legs” for fun.
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Alas, sea healers are not omnipotent, and a fish SPA also has its disadvantages:
- Even a course of 5-7 sessions will not replace a classic pedicure : corns, calluses and mycoses, if any, will only slightly decrease.
- The fish undergo a “medical examination” only when “hired” : in the future, no one checks them for viruses and bacteria either daily or after clients. But each Garra Rufa can have up to 12 “patients” a day! Think about it: you are not even allowed to try on shoes in stores without a follower...
- The sanitary and epidemiological station does not control such establishments : in the young market there are no standards for disinfecting equipment or checking clients to ensure there are no open wounds.
- Live Garra Rufa fish cannot be sterilized either by heat or chemical means: this is what caused the service to be banned in 14 states of America. Even if the aquarium is cleaned after each guest, the little workers will still defecate pieces of human skin directly into the common container of water, spreading infections.
- Foci of some localized dermatological diseases can spread through skin contact with the chair throughout the client's body (using the principle of self-infection). Therefore, even if each client brings a health certificate, it is better to ask and examine the skin, just in case. The aquarium water is sterilized after each client, but the chair is not. Therefore, it is ideal to wipe it with a cloth containing Miramistin.
- There is a Chinese counterfeit of Garra Rufu on the market: in appearance they are very similar, with the only difference being that the chin-chin fish bites off pieces of living skin, and this, as you understand, does not add sanitation and comfort.
EXPERT'S COMMENT
Stanislav Zharikov | Shop “Everything for Garra Rufa – RufaSpa:
“Not a single case of contracting skin diseases in this way has yet been registered. After all, a client with bleeding wounds will not be allowed into the salon.
It is important to purchase healthy fish that have undergone special quarantine: then the risks tend to zero. To do this, you need to contact professionals who will be able to accurately determine whether there was a quarantine.”
Stanislav Zharikov
Application area
Fish peeling includes not only manicure and pedicure: arms, legs, back, shoulders, buttocks and even the décolleté and face . Simply put, a person can completely immerse himself in a pool with flocks of Garra Rufa and enjoy the process (unless, of course, he is timid).
INTERESTING FACT
Facial peeling with fish is the rarest procedure with a slight lifting effect. With long-term course use, it removes not only horn cells, but also freckles and post-acne.
Who is suitable and who is not?
The list of side effects from pedicure with Garra Rufa fish echoes the indications for the procedure. Therefore, it is very important to consider in what cases ichthyotherapy is prescribed:
- Skin fungi;
- Psoriasis;
- Eczema;
- Hyperkeratosis (thickening of the stratum corneum);
- Ichthyosis (gene mutation with the formation of “fish scales” on the skin);
- Ringworm and pigmentation disorders (vitiligo);
- Trophic lesions of the epidermis (for example, bedsores).
The list of contraindications is as follows:
- Malignant tumors;
- Lupus;
- Neurodermatitis (allergic inflammation);
- Infectious skin diseases;
- Thrombophlebitis;
- Acne;
- Open wounds.
If you have this type of disease, entry to the fish salon must be reserved.
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Subtleties of massage and pedicure
Before performing a fish massage and pedicure, it is necessary that your feet be thoroughly examined by a specialist. The presence of abrasions or blisters should be a contraindication to the procedure. In case of minor damage to the skin, they can be closed using special tapes that do not allow moisture to pass through.
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The duration and frequency of pedicure or fish massage sessions are determined by the doctor. The client himself must note the skin changes that occur with each subsequent session. This massage is considered the most gentle type of peeling, after which the skin becomes soft and tender. Garra Rufa fish do their job perfectly and remove dead skin cells.
WHAT DOES THE FISH PEELING PROCEDURE LOOK LIKE?
Peeling with garra fish is usually carried out in the following sequence:
- Preparing for the session. You should stop using creams in the area of intended exfoliation 2 days in advance: this may make it difficult for marine inhabitants to work.
- Visit to the salon. A specially trained specialist (preferably a dermatologist) is obliged to examine the client for the presence of open wounds and, if they are found, prohibit the procedure until complete healing.
- Steam bath (10 minutes). This is an optional step, but it can facilitate and speed up the removal of the stratum corneum of the epidermis.
- Wash the desired area of skin with soap . Sometimes an antiseptic is also applied at the end.
- Direct peeling with immersion in the aquarium of the desired part of the body for 10-30 minutes.
INTERESTING FACT
For foot peeling you will need 300 fish, for a “manicure” - 150-200 pieces.
Pedicure with fish – all advantages
The main advantages of fish pedicure:
- 100% skin cleansing;
- absence of pain and other unpleasant sensations;
- guarantee of the absence of possible skin injury (as with a hardware pedicure);
- stress relief;
- relaxing effect;
- natural peeling without the use of chemicals, which prevents allergic reactions.
Some beauty salons offer a whole body peeling procedure with the help of doctor fish (you can watch the video online). By the way, the fish are so easy to care for that they can easily live in a home aquarium, performing, if necessary, the functions of a home pedicurist.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
There are several ways to reduce the risks of peeling with Garra fish:
- Thorough self-examination. Take the time to check the skin at the treatment site to see if there are any wounds, suspicious plaques or spots on your legs. If you notice any warning signs, it is best to first consult a dermatologist.
- Checking the responsibility of establishment staff. If the salon does not examine you before the session for open wounds and skin infections, it is better to refuse treatment: this means that it is a common thing here to turn a blind eye to compliance with hygiene requirements.
- Insist on a pause after another client for 5-7 minutes so that the water passes through the filtration and sterilization system: this will destroy all fungi and ciliates. In a budget beauty salon, this requirement may seem inappropriate to you: well, so much the better. A salon that values its reputation will definitely make concessions, and you don’t need another.
- To distinguish Garra Rufa from fakes, there is a proven method. Make sure that the fish's mouth is below eye level and has a round (not pointy, like a chin-chin) shape. Additionally, you should not feel any pain during the pedicure. Other signs of a real Garra Rufa include a steel-colored body, a scarlet fin, and a desire to be in an empty pool closer to the bottom.
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If you have verified the authenticity of your “exfoliation master” and have taken all precautions, the only advice is: during the procedure, try not to make sudden movements so as not to scare the fish.
BUSINESS FISH
Let's consider another possibility: for those who are interested in how such private enterprises are structured from the inside.
Business payback
Peeling fish as a business is designed for a payback of up to 3 months. The main cost items for business planning will be as follows:
- Equipment - aquariums, 250 marine “workers”, equipment for the office itself;
- Renting premises - an office with a transparent display window somewhere in a popular shopping center is good;
- Consumables - aquarium service (filters, lighting), drinks, towels, etc.
With an average price for a procedure of 20 € per 1 hour and a salon workload of 10 hours daily, income before costs will be, according to analysts, approx. 200€.
Where to buy fish? Medicinal fish and their price
Knowledgeable people advise purchasing sea healers in Europe, and not in Asia, due to their better adaptation to our realities. Equipment suppliers will provide all the necessary components, as well as help train employees and issue a veterinary permit, which must be renewed on their own.
Fish 3.5-4 cm long cost about 1 euro per piece. (when purchasing a batch of 100 pcs.)
Permit to operate
The usual requirements for beauty salons do not apply in this situation: at least in the countries of the former CIS. Regulatory authorities do not yet require a license for this type of activity. That is, you can enter the market without employees with medical education and without long paper formalities.
Arrangement of the FISH SPA room
By default, the cabin must have running water and sewerage. It is better to choose chairs for procedures from washable material. It is also worth taking care of a relaxing atmosphere, music and lighting, as well as bottled water, tea, coffee and aromatherapy products.
Fish peeling salon advertisement
To attract customers to a new establishment, all means are good: outdoor advertising, print media, the Internet, contextual advertising. Printed flyers will only work in the form of discount coupons or gift certificates, but you shouldn’t abuse this: 2 times a month will be more than enough. In addition, seasonality is relevant in this type of business: in winter, ordinary people think about the smoothness of their feet much less often.
Have you tried this pedicure? ? Leave your feedback in the comments.
