Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Anyone had their feet nibbled by fish?

91 replies

1234ThumbScrew · 02/01/2011 22:42

What was it like?
Can you have it done if you've got a varucca?

I've had a varucca for about seven years, the Dr has says he can't do anything about it until I get rid of the dead skin. I've been trying to for ages, but it's very deep (sorry it's a bit yuk). I'd like to do the fish thing, but wanted to see if others have tried.

OP posts:

Original poster

1234ThumbScrew · 04/01/2011 15:13

Well, clearly not a solution to my verruca so I'll have to wait until I've got rid of it. However, having been on here for years under various different disguises this thread has made it to a discussion of the day AND Justine has posted - I feel strangely elated .

OP posts:

minipie · 04/01/2011 15:19

Haven't read whole thread but I had this done and wasn't that impressed.

It got rid of a bit of dry skin but no more than a pumice scrub or foot file would have done.

I doubt they'd let you in with a verruca - I had a blister on my heel and they were a bit iffy about that.

If i were you I'd get a ped egg or foot file and start sanding.

Blatherskite · 04/01/2011 15:23

I've found somewhere near me!!!

I'm doing it :)

theDudesmummy · 04/01/2011 15:28

I had never heard of this until this moment. I am not a particularly squeamish person but my reaction was eeeew!

madonnawhore · 04/01/2011 15:35

I had this done last month for the first time. At first the sensation was so strange I was squealing like a maniac and people were giving me strange looks (I am very ticklish on my feet anyway so probably super sensitive). But once I got used to it, it's actually quite pleasant. Whoever said up thread that it feels like pins and needles is right - it's a sort of nice tingling feeling like the blood flowing back into your foot after it's gone to sleep.

My feet are pretty rank though and the poor fishies didn't really do as good of a job as I'd hoped. With things like verrucas I'd probably go to a chriopodist or something.

DurhamDurham · 04/01/2011 15:42

Curiousmama I got it done in Metrocentre's Happy Feet. It was £10 for 15 mins which I thought was good, but it seems some places charge the same for 30 mins. I would like it done where there wasn't a crowd of people watching!

stillbobbysgirl · 04/01/2011 17:14

Use duct tape for your veruccas.

Had the fish pedicure at a festival last summer. Kids were not impressed as the fish didn't bother with them as they have no hard skin!

It depends on the time of day you happen to put your feet in too - if you are the end of the session, they are not hungry!

It was slightly amusing, but I would not have thought it really does the job for really manky feet. My feet felt nice after, but nothing dramatic.

ampere · 04/01/2011 17:33

I'm sorry but I associate fish eating bits of you with Japanese prisoners of war in Thailand who sat on the banks of the river Kwai (whilst they were building the bridge over...) dangling their ulcerated, maggot ridden wounds in the water so the fish would nibble the maggots out.

I've stood thigh deep in the ocean whilst the fish around me were being fed restaurant scraps (Lord Howe Island) and the fish, some a good 2 foot long, made the odd, gentle passing 'nip' at my legs which was bit weird!

hockeypuck · 04/01/2011 19:10

I saw a news site - will look for the link now - that said the World Health Organisation were very concerned by the rise in this as they had fears it could risk spreading HIV, Hepatitus and other blood diseases. Enough to put me off I'm afraid.

But I will try the duct tape thing on my vuruccas!

hockeypuck · 04/01/2011 19:15

I can't find the recent one I read in December, but there are a few words of caution here:

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article7086874.ece

imustbemadasaboxoffrogs · 04/01/2011 19:17

Beryl - it's upstairs in Castlecourt in Belfast, saw it the other day and was tempted

goodmanners · 04/01/2011 19:28

i once stood on my pet goldfish and squished it by accident bare footed (it had jumped out the tank overnight and i stood on it wondering were it had gone)- stamping on small fish in error would start the nightmares again. RIP spot

Curiousmama · 04/01/2011 20:16

DurhamDurham don't think there's people watching in Wingate? It's inside a salon? Might try it sometime as my feet are dry think it's because I wore wellies a lot lately?

DoodleNoo · 04/01/2011 21:26

I hate the idea of swimming in the sea with fish around and yet mustered the courage to do this - it even quite appealed.

I walked in off the street and only had 15 mins worth - my feet were gross beforehand and I wouldn't say it made as much difference as I was hoping it might - they were marginally softer but it certainly wasn't a miracle cure for hard skin.

It tickled rather than hurt, apart from the little blighter who kept nibbling and pulling on the tiny pinprick scab on the back of my heel!

teenyweenytadpole · 04/01/2011 21:47

Love the sound of the fishy thing, I have horrible feet at the moment. Putting pieces of banana skin on my DD's verruca really helped, she had three horrible ones. A few weeks of banana skin treatment and they literally just fell off her feet.

maighdlin · 04/01/2011 22:07

i'd love one of those! any one know anywhere in NI that does them?

Jossiejump · 04/01/2011 22:19

I had it done, was so relaxing. DH has got me a voucher to have it done again-can't wait!!

babyabroad · 04/01/2011 22:41

I had this done in Greece. I had 2 verrucae at the time and didnt find it got rid of them but it did reveal a lot of root by eating away the dead skin. If you have a blister or the end of a blister cover it up - mine which was nearly gone was eaten down to raw flesh and killed for days afterwards!!!!!!!!!!

I have had my verrucae frozen off - 1 persistent one remains. I've tried all the lotions and potions - garlic, dandelion . . .What's this about banana skin??

Wilts · 04/01/2011 22:47

Well you learn something new on here everyday! I had never heard of this before.

FanjolinaJolie · 05/01/2011 07:10

Generally a verucca is contraindication for pedicures so I would guess you can't do it as you'd pass it to other people going after you.

I have recently blitzed my verucca by filing it every night and applying Bazuka, I think it took four months but I was consistant this time.

Have you thought about seeing a podiatrist/chiropodist to sort it?

For feet with dry skin you can slather on the Flexitol sleep in socks then scrub with a ped egg or pumice stone which should improve things a lot.

foxytocin · 05/01/2011 11:21

these little cuties also do the same thing when I went into the river as a child. sigh. wish I was home now.

hannahthespanner · 05/01/2011 12:07

My son and I both had veruccas and the only thing that worked was WARTSTICK, about £5 on amazon. Really dried them out and then they just dropped off.

Fish eating my feet - gross, not for me!

stayathomegardener · 05/01/2011 12:25

DD used to dip her feet in the pond and would soon have a 'frill' of tadpoles around her feet nibbling them for nothing.Great to gross out her friends!

foxytocin · 05/01/2011 12:31

a frill of tadpoles. what a beautiful image. you may have invented a collective noun there.

Calamansi · 05/01/2011 14:27

I've been several times to have a fishy pedicure and LOVE it - it made my feet silky soft, oh and the little fish just tickle! In fact this thread has reminded me it may be time to go again...

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread