• 

  Doctor fish will devour the dead skin cells coating your body, leaving behind healthy skin.

• 

  A single pool can accommodate 10 people at a time.

Enlarge

MELAKA: If you were offered the opportunity to step into a pool so hundreds of hungry fish could feast on your dead skin as part of a skin-beautifying treatment, would you do it?

That's basically the premise behind a fish spa, where clients can immerse themselves in pools teeming with little Garra rufa fish that will devour dead skin cells, leaving behind healthy skin. Due to the therapeutic nature of their "ministrations", the fish are also known as doctor fish.

In mid-August this year, Malaysia got its first fish spa - "Doctor Fish", named after the fish used in its skin therapies. The concept was brought into our country by a young businessman named Mr. Zhong (name transliterated).

Originated from Turkey

Garra rufa were first discovered more than a century ago in hot springs in northern Turkey. Since the water temperature of their natural habitat is above 37 degrees celsius, very little nutrients exist in the water for the fish to feed upon. As a result, whenever people step into the water, the ravenous fish will rush to feed upon the dead skin cells coating their bodies. Over time, this became a habit for the fish.

The "Doctor Fish" spa in Melaka has five pools that are home to thousands of Garra rufa fish that are waiting for clients to "drop in" and feed them.

Hefty transportation costs

71-year-old Zhong Shaojun, who is the father of the young businessman and the manager of "Doctor Fish", said in an interview with reporters from Sin Chew Daily were all imported from Turkey. Although the fish themselves weren't particularly expensive, the costs involved in transporting them here were very high.

He said that fish spas were extremely popular in Japan, and they had recently begun appearing in Singapore. When his son came across this form of therapy, his son had naturally thought it was very special and decided to introduce it into Malaysia.

He said that in Turkey, a single course of therapy (consisting of 10 sessions) would cost about RM6900, not inclusive of accommodation. This shows how highly regarded this form of therapy is in Turkey.

He pointed out that doctor fish are toothless. They use the strong suction generated by their tiny mouths to pull away the dead skin and other impurities coating our bodies.

He said that this form of therapy isn't only useful for making people look more beautiful. It's also been said to be effective for treating some skin diseases. In addition, because it is a natural form of therapy that does not rely on drugs to solve skin problems, he belives that it will become a hit in Malaysia.

Clients must first take a bath

To ensure that the pools remain clean and hygienic (as well as to protect the fish living in them), those who wish to enjoy this form of therapy must first take a bath with clear water before they are allowed into the pool. They are forbidden to use any cleaning products or to apply any skincare products.

Shaojun said that the pools in "Doctor Fish" could accommodate 10 people at a time, but they had to monitor skin condition of their clients in order to decide how many were actually allowed inside.

"Of course, we cannot allow those suffering from serious skin diseases to use the pool with others. Eventually, we will add pools specifically for those suffering from such diseases to hire and use.

Currently, "Doctor Fish" charges RM40 for every 40 minutes, which is much more affordable than the charges in Singapore, where every 20 minutes will cost you RM80.