Foot cleaner fish. How to get fish that give massages

Peeling with fish, or fish peeling, is a unique procedure involving special small fish, which is carried out in beauty salons. The “authorship” of such an exotic method belongs to the Japanese, then fish peeling became widespread in Europe, and has recently been used in our country.

Fishes that exfoliate

The peeling procedure is carried out with live garra rufa fish (Garra Rufa), belonging to the carp family, class ray-finned. These are small, harmless fish gray with a red fin on the tail, 2 to 10 cm long, without teeth. In nature, garra rufa feed on algae and organic debris, which they dissolve using secreted enzymes.

They live in the warm waters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, as well as in the thermal springs of the Kangal Gorge (Turkey). Today, these fish are specially bred for use not only for cosmetic, but also for medical purposes. The fact is that garra rufa fish, which are also called doctor fish, can cure some dermatological diseases, for example, psoriasis, eczema, etc.

Fish peeling procedure

Using an oral sucker, garra rufa removes the keratinized layer of cells, thereby carrying out natural peeling of the skin. That is, these fish are able to feed on dead cells, which should be gotten rid of, without causing harm to healthy ones.

The most common is fish peeling of the feet, but fish peeling of the hands, face and whole body is also carried out.

To carry out fish peeling, the body or its individual parts after preliminary cleansing of dust and cosmetics placed in special containers filled with warm water (about 37 ºС). The stratum corneum of the skin softens, and the fish get to work. At the beginning of the procedure, unusual but absolutely painless sensations arise - slight tickling and tingling. But after a few minutes, the discomfort disappears, you get used to these sensations, relaxation sets in, and the procedure only brings pleasure.

Fish peeling can be compared to a light massage, which normalizes the blood supply to the surface layers, thereby increasing the elasticity of the skin, as well as relaxation, which helps relieve physical fatigue and nervous tension. In addition, it has now been scientifically established that the enzyme secreted by fish has antiseptic properties, improves skin regeneration, promotes wound healing, and restores the natural balance of microflora.

The fish peeling procedure lasts about half an hour. It is worth noting that the water in the pool is filtered and processed using special devices and is changed after each session.

Effect of fish peeling

In addition to the indescribable sensations from a kind of “communication” with fish doctors, after which fatigue is relieved and a feeling of lightness sets in, clients of the exotic procedure can expect the following results:

healthy, smooth and velvety skin;
getting rid of rough skin, calluses and;
lightening age spots, getting rid of freckles on the face.

It is worth noting that the effect is noticeable after the first procedure, but it is usually recommended to carry out a course of 5 – 10 sessions depending on the condition of the skin.

Contraindications for fish peeling

Since fish peeling is a natural process, it eliminates the risk of allergic reactions and irritation. The only exception may be individual intolerance to the enzyme secreted by fish.

It is worth delaying the procedure in case of infectious skin diseases until they are cured, as well as in the presence of open wounds.

Procedures are absolutely contraindicated in the presence of malignant tumors, thrombophlebitis, psoriatic erythroderma, and lupus erythematosus.

In the struggle for clientele, beauty salons are offering new services, some of which are frankly exotic. One of these procedures, fish peeling, appeared in our country relatively recently. Large aquariums in which specially bred fish swim can be found in large spa centers, water parks and even in some shopping centers. Maybe the thought of putting your feet in there seems a little scary. In fact, there is nothing painful or unpleasant in the procedure, rather, quite the opposite!

Wonderful fish

The fish that swim in these aquariums are called Garra Rufa. Their natural habitat is the countries of Western Asia. Garra Rufa love warm water: around body temperature and even higher. They learned how to most successfully cultivate these fish (i.e., specially grow them) in Southeast Asia, namely Thailand and Malaysia. In these popular tourist countries, aquariums with fish that do fish peeling can be found right on the beach. It was from there that this procedure spread throughout the world.

The main question of all clients who are not familiar with the procedure is: “Does it hurt to peel fish?” After all, a terrifying picture appears in my head: fish are gnawing off the skin with their teeth. In reality, Garra Rufa doesn't even have teeth! They remove dead skin using special plates in their mouths that resemble sandpaper. In addition, fish saliva contains a special enzyme that softens and disinfects the skin.

We can say that peeling with Garra Rufa fish is similar to an unedged European pedicure.

Features of the event

Fish peeling is a procedure consisting of several stages:

skin cleansing;
direct peeling;
application of care products.

It is necessary to clean the skin before the procedure so as not to harm the fish that clean the skin. After all, they are living beings, and their stomach will not be able to digest the cream you applied to your feet or road dust. This stage is very important, since fish can even die if they eat something wrong.

The next stage - peeling the legs with fish - goes like this. The client sits on a bench near the aquarium with Garra Rufa and plunges his feet into it. You must try to keep your legs motionless: when moving, the fish will spread to the sides. The procedure is carried out within 15-20 minutes. By the end of this time, you can notice that the fish become less active - they have already done their job. You may feel a slight tickling during the process, but overall, fish peeling promotes relaxation. Since Garra Rufa are heat-loving fish, the water in aquariums is warm and pleasant for humans.

After the required time has passed, the legs are removed from the aquarium and wiped dry. A caring cream is applied to them and a light massage is performed. The effect of the procedure is soft skin without rough areas.

Peeling with Garra Rufa fish is done not only for the feet, but also for the hands.

Therapeutic effect

In addition to cosmetic, the procedure has and therapeutic effect. It turns out that Garra Rufa stimulates blood circulation and metabolic processes by massaging the skin with small antennae located near the mouth. Thanks to this effect, fish help treat skin diseases: psoriasis, eczema. In addition, the procedure will be useful for people suffering from nervous diseases due to its relaxing effect.

Contraindications and features

There are no significant contraindications for fish peeling. It cannot be done if you have:

open wounds;
lupus erythematosus;
malignant tumors.

In addition, it will simply be ineffective if the legs are in poor condition. Fish are not able to cope with large old calluses and a thick layer of keratinized skin. In this case, a classic trimmed pedicure is more suitable.

If you like to cut everything down to the meat, then fish peeling is only suitable for you as a pre-treatment before a classic pedicure.

Key moment

As in everyone cosmetic procedures, it is very important to choose right place carrying out. Choose a salon carefully, ask for certificates for fish. The thing is that “fake” Garra Rufa, brought from China, can be used in dubious places. Not only will these fish not cleanse your skin, but they can harm it.

Be careful: if you experience discomfort during peeling, stop the procedure immediately!

Aquariums in which fish are kept must be clean. In good salons they are decorated with pebbles, shells, beautiful algae and corals. Aesthetic appeal allows the client to relax and tune in to a pleasant mood.

The number of fish should also be optimal: usually there are about 200 in an aquarium for peeling feet. If there are few fish, peeling will simply be ineffective.

The spa administrator talks about the procedure in the video.

For a long time we couldn’t figure out what to call this review. To make it clear, it is about the Fish spa attraction with sticky fish. The visitor dips his feet into an aquarium with small fish and receives a “fish massage” (or fish?). In fact, this is not a massage, but a natural dermatological effect on the skin of the feet and hangnails - small fish swim in the aquarium and eat a small layer of keratinized skin. Today IQR brings to your attention an overview of this strange business.

Fish massage is a promising business idea for shopping centers

There are quite a lot of places where they offer “fish pedicure” in Thailand. For some reason, this business is not developed in Russia; only certain elite cosmetologists offer this service, although the demand is potentially very high. Just because no one is doing it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be started. Organizing such a pavilion is very simple. Here's how it works.

Aquarium with fish

How it works

On an area measuring 3 by 8 meters in a passageway there are two rows of aquariums measuring approximately 80 by 150 cm. Taking into account the passages, you can put about 8 aquariums.

Each one contains 200-300 fish. The fish are small, the size of a child's little finger. Apparently the fish used is Garra rufa, better known as Doctor fish, or its related subspecies. This is what the leg skin rejuvenation process looks like in the video.

Reviews from fish pedicure clients

Alexander:

“At first it’s very ticklish, then it’s nice. But out of two hundred fish they bite best case scenario 20. They are too full there, so many legs pass in a day! There is a cosmetic effect, but it is small. Where my skin is rough, nothing much has changed. And where it’s not so good, it’s become softer. If you sit for an hour and a half, then it will probably make sense.”

“It’s complete nonsense, there is no effect, and in general these fish didn’t want to bite me. Three fish pinched my leg; for some reason they didn’t like my feet at all. It would be better to spend the money on a real pedicure.”

Fish Spa Business Plan

Actually, a business plan is calculated on the fingers. You need to know three numbers:

revenue;
fixed expenses (rent and cashier's salary);
expenses for equipment (aquariums and Garra Rufa fish).

Fish Spa revenue

The figures are presented based on an analysis of a point in the popular Central Festival shopping center in Pattaya. The duration of a standard spa session is 20 minutes. The cost of a session is $5 for one person, $8 for two. During the daytime on weekdays, 40-60% of aquariums are busy, often sitting in pairs.

Thus, we can talk about about 15 clients per hour. If we take 8 active hours of work (we mentally transfer several random visitors from inactive ones) - then there are about 120 visitors per day. The average check is about 4 dollars. This means that the point makes about 500 bucks in revenue per day, or the equivalent of 750 thousand rubles (including weekends, it may be more). This is a fairly optimistic forecast for an expensive top-end shopping center like MEGI.

Profitability calculation

The seller is not required to have any special skills - provide visitors with a basin (to rinse their feet) at the beginning of the procedure and clean towels at the end. Well, make sure that oxygen enters the aquariums. The price for such work is 40 thousand rubles at Moscow prices on a 12-hour schedule. Total 80 thousand for wages of 2 sellers (scheme 2 through 2). Plus payroll tax, we get about 120 thousand.

It is difficult to say how much rent costs, it depends on the rates in the shopping center in your city. Of the figures that we were able to find, rent is 10 square meters in MEGA it can cost about 300 thousand rubles per month. In this case, the point will work “to zero” or a slight minus: it turns out that you are feeding the shopping center, and all the risks are on you.

Renting the required area (20-30 square meters) in a simpler shopping center will cost 100-150 thousand per month, this is what you need to count on.

Positive point. It is very difficult to get a place in large shopping centers. There, projects undergo a strict competition for originality. With this business it will be very easy to enter and take a place, because there are practically no analogues in other shopping centers.

If you can make at least half of the estimated revenue (375 thousand rubles per month), this will be enough for rent in a good shopping center, and for salaries for sellers, and for taxes. 100 thousand will remain clean. If you make a lot of revenue, the whole difference will be in your pocket.

How much does the equipment cost?

Here are the prices for fish. Prices are steep, just like the fish themselves, so you need to buy in large quantities and negotiate a discount.

Price list of garra rufa

You can easily find suppliers on Google by searching “Garra rufa price”. This particular screenshot is from the website rufaspa.ru. If you buy, for example, 1000 small fish and distribute them among 10 aquariums, you will get only 37 thousand rubles - not so much. In addition, large aquariums are needed; when purchasing in bulk, you can meet 100 thousand. A turnkey Jacuzzi with Garra rufa fish for 600 liters on the same website costs 176 thousand rubles.

Thus, The payback period for fish massage is very fast - 2-3 months - under 3 key conditions :

high passability of the point;
people are in the mood for shopping and relaxation;
rent - no more than 150 thousand rubles per month.

Additional earning opportunities

Obviously, you can avoid paying rent in an expensive shopping center, but agree to install this miracle in a good beauty salon with high traffic. It is quite possible that you can persuade the owner of the premises to pay a percentage of the proceeds.

Also, some points offer back massage for greater relaxation. You don’t even need to hire additional staff; you can initially hire a massage therapist. It’s easy to trick a client who has already paid for a “fish” massage into a real one - he wants to relax, get good service and is ready to spend money!

The low competition of fish pedicures and the novelty of the idea on the Russian market provide good potential for earning money, go for it!

You've probably heard a lot about fish peeling, but you still haven't decided to try this procedure. Agree, a very unique way of caring for your feet? What if he is not as harmless as he seems at first glance? We will try to clarify all the points and figure out who they are - fish that do pedicures.

How did fish pedicure originate?

It is impossible to say exactly which country is the birthplace of this procedure. According to various sources, it could be Türkiye, or maybe China. If you have been on holiday in Turkey, China, Thailand or India, you have already seen how many people want to get such a fish pedicure. However, it is not at all necessary to go abroad to pamper your feet, because now such a wonderful procedure is offered in Russia, as well as Japan, the Netherlands, etc.

According to some reports, miracle fish were discovered in the 14th century by brother travelers. Inconspicuous fish lived in a warm pond, in which the brothers decided to swim. While the brothers were bathing in the water, the little healers bathed with them and lightly pinched them without causing pain. After swimming, the brothers suffering from psoriasis felt relief and realized that fish were able to heal those suffering from this disease, and the fame of the tiny doctors began to spread throughout the world. However, this is just a legend that does not have exact historical confirmation, so the date and place of discovery of the fish varies depending on the source.

Doctor fish: who are they?

The fish you've heard so much about is called Garra Rufa.. They are short in length, only from 3 to 10 cm. When biting, Garra Rufa fish secrete a special enzyme that has not yet been fully studied. Currently, many medical institutes are actively studying what kind of substance tiny fish secrete. It is assumed that fish can secrete such an enzyme only in captivity, since wild fish have to develop immunity, which serves as protection against many diseases. It is believed that in laboratory conditions the fish will not secrete this substance, since Garra Rufa will not experience discomfort and fear. For this reason, fish for pedicures are delivered only from their habitats, that is, from the wild.

It would be nice to know the Garra Rufa fish by sight. The fact is that there is a certain breed of Chin-Chin fish that are incredibly similar to our heroes. However, it seems so only at first glance. In fact, Chin-Chin have teeth that will bite people. Chin Chin fish bites can be painful and carry a risk of infection. We advise you to be careful and trust your body only to reputable and trusted salons.

Garra Rufa are toothless, so you don’t have to worry that they will bite you like piranhas. On the contrary, our heroes, like geese, will nibble dead body parts and skin without any damage, therefore, the possibility of infection is reduced to zero. Keep in mind that fish cannot handle too rough skin, so for example, corns are too tough for them. The procedure has a healing effect on the skin, improves blood circulation, massages it, affecting certain points of the body, which gives tone.

Who benefits from fish pedicure?

Once you try this pedicure at least once, you will definitely want to repeat it. Useful procedure will be for people:

Those who want to make their skin smooth and pleasant to the touch
Decrease age-related changes on the skin of the feet
Heal microcracks
Get rid of rough skin
Get rid of fungal infections
Improve the health of your nail plates.

Medicine fish are used not only for hand pedicures. The salon can offer you a manicure, a facial, and even a full immersion, which is incredibly useful. It is very interesting to observe from the outside those who agree to facial peeling. A cap is put on the person’s head, the nose is pinched with a special clip (like swimmers), and a stick is inserted into the mouth for breathing under water. If your husband or loved one is watching you, he will find it funny, so it is better to ask the master to persuade him to do the procedure too. But in the end, the result will please you - the skin will be flawless. If you decide to go full immersion, be patient: the procedure will last about one hour. Generally, fish peeling will be useful for:

Psoriasis
Vitiligo
Ichthyosis
Psoriatic arthropathy
Lichen planus
Rosacea
Childhood eczema
Hyperkeratosis
Chronic eczema
Acne skin diseases.

Who is contraindicated for fish pedicure?

A doctor, who is sure to be in a good salon, will answer this question more accurately. He will conduct a thorough examination of the legs and only then will he give permission for the procedure, or will he apologize and indicate the reasons why he should refuse you. In general, fish pedicure is not recommended for:
Thrombophlebitis
Malignant formations
Lupus erythematosus
Psoriatic erythroderma
In the presence of pustules, bleeding wounds, burns and cracks in the skin.

The procedure has a lot of advantages, among which the first places, of course, are the opportunity to enjoy it together with your beloved man (who is very difficult to force to do a full pedicure) and the pleasure that you will receive in the process. Other advantages are also important:

Fish rid you of a layer of dead skin without harming healthy skin, which does not cause them any interest.
The procedure is painless, so it can be done even for children
Ecological clean look pedicure
Quick effect
Pedicure is done in water at a comfortable temperature for a person (from 32 to 37 degrees above zero).

Fish pedicure: technological process

The fish pedicure procedure is as follows:

Feet are wiped and washed with water
The client's legs are lowered into a small aquarium with Garra Rufa fish, of which there are more than a hundred
For 20-30 minutes, the fish work, eating dead layers of skin
The smooth legs are removed from the container with the fish and wiped with a towel.

What is the lifespan of fish?

In fact, fish should be mercilessly destroyed after each procedure, since it would be much more hygienic. However, in this case, the procedure would be extremely expensive and unclaimed. In addition, the mass extermination of fish would not be approved by some organizations. In this regard, after each client, the aquarium with fish is cleaned with a specially designed system with a powerful external filter and even ultraviolet light. As a result, both bacteria and pathogens of all other infections die. At least 35-50% of the water is replaced and the aquarium is filled with clean water again.

It is precisely because fish cannot be disinfected like a pedicure instrument that this procedure was replaced in the USA, guided by hygienic considerations.

We recommend that you have a fish pedicure by tiny doctors Garra Rufa if you adore exotic sensations, are crazy about beautiful and well-groomed legs and your beauty in general. Trust us, it doesn't hurt at all!

The small fish used in pedicures is called Garra rufa. But these are not just skin-eating cleaners who simply clean your heels. In some resorts with open thermal springs in Turkey, fish are used for the symptomatic treatment of psoriasis. Fish eat dead skin on psoriatic plaques without touching healthy areas. This cleansing is very effective - after such treatment, patients’ condition improves for six months or more.

The service, which is quite new for us, is well known in the East. There, therapy with the modern name fish peeling has been carried out for more than 5 centuries. With its help, psoriasis is effectively cured in Turkey, Syria and some other countries. Moreover, one course lasts more than six months. But is it worth turning to such an exotic method for regular foot care? And in general, fish pedicure - what is it?

Who are Garra Rufa

Under the mysterious name Garra rufa hide small, inconspicuous gray fish that live in the coastal waters of the Middle East. They can be found among the marine fauna of the coasts of Turkey and Iran, Iraq and Syria. Unremarkable in appearance, these fish are very interesting due to the peculiarities of their existence.

For example, they feed not only on sea plankton, but also happily accompany whales on their journeys across the oceans. In whole flocks, they eat the remains of organic substances that cover the skin of the largest mammal. This symbiosis is beneficial for everyone - the whale gets rid of unnecessary microorganisms, the fish receive a constant source of food.

The only limitation that prevents all Garra Rufas from following whales all their lives is the water temperature. They feel comfortable in reservoirs at 32 degrees; temperatures lower than this depress their vital activity, which is why the fish die or go into a state of “hibernation.”

Benefits of the procedure

The use of fish that do pedicures in cosmetology is not accidental. Initially, the reason for the spread of the technique was its exoticism: all salons do pedicures with files and graters, but we offer them with fish - tempting! But over time, cosmetologists increasingly adopted the experience of Turkish specialists who use fish pedicures to cure diseases such as foot fungus, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis of various natures. Thus, from a purely cosmetic technique it became a therapeutic one.

It also has other advantages.

Painless. Pedicure with Garra rufa fish does not cause any discomfort. During the first minutes the patient feels tickling, and then gets used to the work of the fish. The reason for this is the lack of teeth among the little orderlies. Their mouth resembles a “suction cup” with which they suck epidermal cells from the surface of the skin.
Efficiency. Fish pedicure allows you to make the skin of your feet soft in 20 minutes. There are 100-200 inhabitants in the aquarium at the same time, who happily pounce on the “treat” and absorb exclusively dry, dead skin. Due to the large amount in the water, the fish manage to process the feet completely, without gaps. However, they do not touch living skin. Firstly, they are not interested in it, and secondly, they cannot chew it off.
Comfort. Peeling with fish is quite pleasant. The legs are placed in water at a comfortable temperature, and do not stand on the bottom of the aquarium, but “float” in it. It is interesting to watch the little workers at work; the total duration of the session is short. The main thing is not to make sudden movements so as not to scare away the fish. Thanks to this feature, the procedure can be used for women's and men's pedicures.
Skin rejuvenation. To improve the tone of the feet, pedicure with Garra rufa fish is used in complex therapy. Reviews from cosmetologists indicate the effectiveness of the practice, because fish saliva contains special substances - enzymes. They not only soften skin, but also stimulate their renewal, which is why they are used for the manufacture of expensive and effective cosmetic preparations.

Disadvantages of the technique

In addition to the advantages, Garra rufa peeling also has disadvantages that you should also be aware of.

Risk of skin infection. Unlike cosmetology equipment, which is sterilized in every reputable beauty salon, there is no way to disinfect fish. There is always a risk that if there are microcracks on the feet, they will get an infection that has remained in the mouth or on the body of the fish from the previous client. For this reason, fish peeling is prohibited in many countries around the world.
The risk of meeting chin-chin. This is also a fish that the Chinese craftsmen pass off as real Garra rufa when making copies. Outwardly they are very similar, but the difference between chin-chin is the presence of teeth. Therefore, during the procedure, fish may begin to bite. If this happens to you, immediately remove your feet from the aquarium, as instead of a gentle peeling, you may end up with injury to living tissue.
High price. Reviews about fish peeling always indicate this point. But the price of the technique is justified. Firstly, the procedure requires a lot of fish, and each one is expensive. Secondly, purchasing them today is problematic: for example, exporting them from Turkey is prohibited. Thirdly, there are requirements for maintaining and feeding the “orderlies”, which also entails costs.

If you want to appreciate the advantages of this exotic technique, try it in a familiar beauty salon and only without leaving any wounds on the skin of your feet. And then your acquaintance with the amazing creatures of Garra Rufa will be pleasant.