An unorthodox looker treatment meant to regenerate the substructure turn into a distressing medical closed book for one young woman . According to a case report published by her doc   in JAMA Dermatology , the woman ’s toenails lay off growing and start fall off soon after she received a so - call Pisces pedicure .

Pisces pedicures involve get belittled fish nibble at your feet while they ’re soaked in a tub of warm or way temperature water . The species of fish used — a toothless carp know as Garra rufa — are normally plant feeder , but in a pinch , they ’ll also eat dead human skin . The Pisces ’s voracious feasting is sound out to help oneself care for conditions like psoriasis as well as beautify the pelt , lending them the nickname of “ Doctor Fish . ”

“ While the mechanics of legal action is not whole decipherable , it is likely due to the fish traumatizing the nail matrix , ” Sheri Lipner , an assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University ’s Weill Cornell Medicine and the cleaning woman ’s regale doctor , told Gizmodo via email . The compositor’s case , as far as Lipner knows , would be the first document case of onychomadesis ever due to Pisces .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

For the sake of protect her patient ’s anonymity , Lipner ca n’t bring out where the woman got her pedicure . But she take down these treatments are fair democratic outside of the US , such as in China . They polish off their peak in popularity stateside around a decade ago , but have since been banned in at least 10 states , including New York , largely because of health concerns .

For one , the fish are often used on more than one individual , progress to the risk of transmitting infections a literal possibility . And though exponent of Pisces pedicures have argued they can properly hygienise the fish and tubs between use , research has shown that disease - causing bacteria can be pronto found in both the tubful and fish used in these spas . A few instance reports have also forthwith traced human foot infections to these treatments .

“ I do not recommend fish pedicures for any medical or aesthetic purpose , ” Lipner said . “ In add-on to onychomadesis , there are also serious transmission associated with Pisces pedicure . ”

William Duplessie

As for the adult female , her nails will likely return , but not for a long clock time . Lipner notes that our toenails only grow one millimeter a month on average , while an intact nail can take as long as 18 months to be replace . “ Therefore , we will have to expect quite a while to see the outcome , ” she said .

[ JAMA Dermatology ]

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