In Vogue

Sunday February 3, 2008

Fishy therapy

By SANDRA LOW

It is the first of its kind to open up in Malaysia and worldwide. It promises a spa experience like no other with a bit of tickle thrown in. Fish, anyone?

WHEN the elegant Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur newly opened its doors to the public, I came across a banner advertising the availability of a "Fish Spa" on Level 5 and wondered whether it was a spa for humans or one meant for your pet fish.

It was definitely worth checking out so I popped into the Spa and the friendly receptionist explained that the Fish Spa offers half hour sessions for adults and children, and she quickly reassured that the fishes in the tanks were toothless!

Soak in the ambience of Kenko Spa and leave the exfoliating to the fish.

Evelyn Leong, the business development manager for Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa at the Pavilion proudly announces that not only is this the first time in Malaysia that a Fish Spa is built in a shopping mall, but that it is also a first in the world.

Leong explained that the Singaporean founder of Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa, Dr Jimi Tan, a practitioner of Chinese and American techniques of reflexology, set up this business with the aim of providing wellness for customers, rather than the traditional tagline of pampering.

"The fishes are called Garra Rufa and they originated from a hot spring near Kangal in Turkey where they were first discovered for their healing power. They are also called ‘Doctor Fish' as these fishes help in easing the symptoms of those suffering from skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. They actually nibble away your scaly and dead skin, leaving your skin smooth and glowing," says Leong.

She adds that they only eat dead skin so the fishes will leave your healthy skin alone. Leong says that children, who have young skin, seldom attract a large school of fish while adults with more dead skin are more attractive to the Garra Rufas.

Since this Fish Spa in a shopping mall is the first such concept in the world, Leong says that they sought the expertise of Aquaria KLCC in setting up the tanks. They also come in regularly to check on the health and well-being of the Garra Rufas. These hardy fishes from the carp family can survive in temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius but the spa maintains a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius for the comfort of customers.

Leong says: "These fishes are basically our employees and we want to ensure that they are well taken care of, so they are fed with red worms and spirulina daily to maintain their diet and health."

Leong ushered me in to start off with their signature treatment, a 45-minute Kenko reflexology plus a shoulder massage and then to a 30-minute fish spa experience. As I am seated in a cozy chair, Ming, my reflexologist, filled a sunken ceramic bowl, at the feet of the chair, with warm water to cleanse and soak my feet for several minutes.

A sheer curtain separates each chair. As I sit comfortably propped, sounds of birds chirping, water flowing and the tinkling of the piano are heard throughout the reflexology session. It was a good try at attempting to create a zen-like and relaxing ambiance, but I felt that having three separate auditory effects simultaneously was trying just a little too hard.

Having traipsed all over town to try out various reflexology centres and finding most places offering a similar technique, I was eager to see how different the Kenko reflexology technique would be.

Ming started by applying pressure on various parts of my toes and each contact was made with an intense rubbing motion, emulating a jerky caterpillar movement. This approach was repeated on the sole, side and top of my foot right up until my knee. The massage technique was surprisingly different and painful but bearable, at times!

The unique thing about the technique employed here is the fact that no oil is used and only powder applied from a pepper shaker! After having both my feet kneaded, I headed to another area where I was seated on a specially designed chair for the shoulder and back massage.

Seated facing the floor in a 45 degree angle with my head peeking through a hole, Ming proceeded with the shoulder and back massage, applying strong pressure with his hands and elbows. It was the pummelling that I needed to realign a mass of knotted muscles, and it was one of the better shoulder and back massages I have experienced, although it was over too soon.

I was then ushered to a washing area to cleanse my feet before entering the Fish Spa. As I scouted for my spot, I noticed that some areas of the fish tank were filled with fishes that were about five cm in length while there were other areas with fishes that were smaller, about two cm long resembling harmless "anchovies". I was pretty sure that they looked much smaller from the reception, and decided to go with the harmless "anchovies".

As I sat on a cushion and dangled my legs into the tank, a large school of grayish brown Garra Rufas swarmed my legs. For a moment, I felt a slight panic as mental pictures of piranhas in a feeding frenzy caught on, and immediately lifted both my legs out of the water. I seriously wondered how I would entertain 30-minutes of anxiety.

There was no way that I was returning to the office to tell my editor that I was afraid of a tiny anchovy-like fish and braced myself for another attempt. This time I decided not to look into the water and submerged my legs gently.

Within seconds the feast began. The more than enthusiastic Garra Rufas starting pecking at my skin and it felt incredibly ticklish and squeamish at the same time. It wasn't painful but because of the repeated pecking, the larger fishes obviously applied more pressure to the skin and it felt more intense. The fact that they are toothless does provide a degree of comfort.

My 30-minute Fish Spa included a routine of lifting legs out of water repeatedly, and I noticed the other clients doing the same amidst squeals of laughter and controlled giggles.

After about 15 minutes I started to get the hang of these Garra Rufas feeding off my legs but it certainly wasn't a stress-reducing experience, especially for a first-timer. Having said this, I would return for another experience, simply because it is such a bizarre and amusing way to have my legs exfoliated.

Clear and clean

The water in the tanks are changed once a day, and every hour 10% of the water is pumped out while fresh water is pumped in.

How is the water treated?

The water is treated with 2000W Ultra Violet Sterilization to kill virus and bacteria, an ozone treatment is administered to break any urea, blood, sweat, etc. back into oxygen and natural water form, and a sand filter acts to sift out big particles like fish food, fish waste, etc.

Is psoriasis infectious and are customers with psoriasis allowed to do their treatment in the Fish Spa?

Psoriasis is not infectious. However, for the comfort of all customers, there is a special treatment tank separated from the public, specifically for the privacy of psoriasis patients.

Are children allowed in the Fish Spa?

As long as they are accompanied by an adult. Children below 12 years of age pay half while there is no charge for children below 4 years of age.

How often should one repeat the Fish Spa treatment for effective results?

Preferably twice a week, with each session lasting a minimum of 30 minutes but not more than an hour.