From fish.
A little over a year ago I would have been perplexed by that. I still am a little perplexed but seeing as these fish places have seemingly sprung up everywhere, it leads me to believe that I’m the stupid one for thinking that fish’s sole purpose (sorry) is something other than eating dead skin off people’s feet.
But the whole thing kind of makes me want to vomit.
Mostly out of sympathy for the poor fish. Apparently, these fish (I don’t know what kind, but they’re tiny buggers) like the dead skin and general nastiness that forms on feet. That makes me feel so sorry for the fish, but also makes me wonder a) how this was discovered and b) what were these fish eating before, that feet grossness is preferable.
But it’s really the logistics of it that confuses me the most. You put your feet in the bowl of fish, and they slowly chip away at your feet. Fair enough, but are you given an allocated session? Or do you just sit there until you’re satisfied that the fish have eaten away enough of your dead skin? What if the fish aren’t feeling particularly hungry that day or if you’re feet aren’t gross enough for them to eat? Can you get these doctor fish on a pro rata basis? Highly unlikely. And, by extension, one could assume that you could immerse you whole body in a bath of these fish and come out of it fresh as a daisy. Although one could also assume that you’d have some doctor fish swimming around in your rectum also.
I'm also uneasy at exactly how many fish there are in these places. Obviously there aren't as many as in the picture above (and if that picture didn't creep you out, you're lying) but are you able to see your own feet once immersed in the water, or do the fish take up the whole bowl, as they fight to eat the best part of your feet? That makes me feel very queasy, as if there's a swarm of fish all eager to devour my feet. And if the fish did take up the whole bowl it reminds me too much of the Vasta Nerda, or Krill, or Bioraptors for me to ever feel comfortable. Not that I'll ever be having one. And kudos to you if you didn't have to Google any of those thigs I just mentioned.
I guess it’s the same as people using leeches back in the day, but where now that would be considered madness, why is sticking your feet in a fish bowl (heh!) acceptable? Also, apparently it’s also highly unsanitary. Whereas a doctor or dentist cleans/throws away his tools after they’ve been used, the fish aren’t thrown out. One assumes your water is changed and the fish continue chomping away. It’s all very odd to me.
Anyway, I guess there’s some merit in it otherwise they wouldn’t be as popular as they are. I just hope to hear on the news someday that one employee of these places will go daft and chuck a piranha in a client’s water.
They wouldn’t need to worry about their gross feet anymore anyway.
