As popular as this is, as profitable as this is, as wide spread around the globe that this is, you'd think someone would fight the ban.

When the state actually says they don't think there is any risks, when all evidence shows no risks how the heck can it be dangerous?

These fish eat dead flesh only. There is no danger. Period.

You have doctors using maggots and leeches. I wonder do the kill the maggots/leaches after every procedure so as not to risk endangering the patient? I imagine peta would have a fit about that.

I too don't see the harm, as long as the fish are well cared for.

The ocean is full of examples of fishies helping out their hosts by nibbling off dead skin, plus they have bacteria in their mouths and digestive tracts that kill off any nasties. It's definitely safer than some doofy beauty school drop-out going at your cuticles with a pair of clippers.

The issue is the problem of not being able to "sterilize" the tank/water before the next client uses it.

This certainly could be a way of transmitting various diseases particularly toe fungus and athletes foot to mention a couple.

If you get a toenail fungus it is very difficult to cure.

I've had personal experience with these fish!

A short time into a 9 month trip through Mexico, I stayed in a place (Veracruz,Veracruz) where there were many ants and mosquitos...The resulting bites on my legs and arms, instead of healing like normal bites, grew into ugly sores..some with pus.

It was gross, and lasted for over two months. Medicine didn't work, salt water made it worse and I didn't know what to do about it.

We found ourselves in a place called San Pedro Huamelula, Oaxaca, a small place on the 'old' highway and decided to camp.

There was a wonderful fast moving river/stream with water so clear you could see tiny snails between the rocks on the bottom. Depth ranged from over your head in some places, to shin-deep in others. In these shin-deep areas, I would lay with my head upstream digging my feet into the rocky bottom to stay in one place.

In this river, live these 'Doctor Fish", and they healed my sores!! I didn't know what was going on at first...it felt like I was getting bit, but not that hard. They only 'picked' at the edges of the sores, leaving the red tender flesh in the center alone....it was really amazing.

I just relaxed, took a nap and let them work. When I woke up, the fish were gone, and all my sores were pink.

A week later they were completely healed.

I thought it was a miracle.

You should probably get the death sentence for not going to a physician and spending thousands of dollars in cremes and ointments that would end up doing nothing, and then needing to get skin graft surgery. What are you, some kind of commie?

no wonder our economy is in the dump. He selfishly hoarded his money for his own gain instead of thinking of others.

Maggots and leeches are disposed of as biohazardous waste after every procedure.

FYI, a couple of articles: Medicinal Maggots. I love this part: "Beware:.... Medical Maggots should not be used on more than one patient, nor allowed to wander away from their host patient...... Escaping maggots have been known to upset the hospital staff and/or patients." Well, heck yeah!

Leech Therapy. Funny: "One author recommended throwing them in a saucer of fresh beer and leaving them until they began to get 'quite lively.'" Ya-hoo!

I still want to get a fish pedicure.
*checks phone book*