LIZ CLANCY: Garra Rufa treatment may be fishy

The first I heard of this recent craze was on a celebrity edition of Come Dine With Me, which saw ex-Coronation-Street actors dipping their toes in fish tanks before dinner at the house of the chap who used to play Des Barnes.

Since then shops have been opening up all over the place and existing beauty salons have been investing in bowls of feet-eating fish. However, health professionals are concerned and having the dead skin nibbled off one's tootsies by Garra Rufa is now illegal in several US states and over here the RSPCA have voiced their misgivings.

The Health Protection Agency conducted an investigation into the use of so-called doctor fish for beauty therapy and published updated advice in October.

In a nutshell: if you're fit and healthy, and the spa you choose have high standards when it comes to hygiene, the risk of catching anything from fish, tank or water is low.

However, if you suffer from health conditions that weaken the immune system (diabetes, for example) you're advised to give fish spas a wide berth and if you wax your legs, fish pedicures should wait a minimum of twenty-four hours.