That’s right - bath salts aren’t the only way to achieve baby-soft skin. Exfoliation, a popular spa treatment, involves sloughing off the skin’s outermost, dry, dead skin cells to reveal newer, softer skin underneath. There are a variety of tools out there that helps us do this: pumice stones (often for the feet), sea sponges, scrubs made of nuts, seeds, or (of course) salt crystals, and many more. But flesh-eating fish are becoming a popular addition to spa treatments and bathtubs around the world. Seriously.

The fish hired to do the job go by the name of Garra Rufa, and are also referred to as “nibble fish”, “reddish log sucker”, and “doctor fish”. These fish are mostly found in the waters of the Middle East, particularly in Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. What really sets these fish apart from others is their voracious appetite for dead skin - your dead skin. You get softer skin, he gets a nice big meal. Talk about a symbiotic relationship!

This exfoliating fish treatment is catching on all over the globe, but its roots lie in Asian and Turkish spas. This year, the first “fish spa” treatment in the United States opened up for business in Virginia - apparently this trend is catching on! The treatments take place in outdoor pools, which add to the benefits and pleasure. The fish are commonly used in pedicure treatments but can be used in bath water to exfoliate the entire body. A pedicure or bath using these little guys can cost anywhere from $35-$50 for a half hour. Proponents say the sensation of being nibbled on actually feels quite good, and people say it is an amazing treatment for psoriasis and other skin disorders. For some, the treatment offers nothing more than the promise of impeccably clean skin.

So how can it possibly feel good? For one thing, this hungry little fish is actually toothless - so “nibble” and “bite” aren’t really accurate terms for what they do. Interestingly, they only consume dry and dead areas of the skin - everything else is left alone, so you don’t have to worry about being eaten alive.

If you don’t feel like driving to Virginia, or the thought of being “nibbled” on by a bunch of fish spooks you, you can always try adding high quality bath salts to your tub instead - it’s a little easier, and a lot cheaper. While you take your bath, gently rub a handful of sea salts over your body to exfoliate your skin. You’ll be softer and smoother, and reap all the benefits of a bath with flesh-eating fish - without any flesh-eating fish.