SALON owners have reassured their customers after popular fish pedicures were linked with serious infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C yesterday.

The Health Protection Agency has issued new guidance over the beauty craze, which sees customers place their feet in tanks of water containing dozens of tiny Garra Rufa fish, which nibble on dead skin.

While the pampering treatment carries a ‘very low’ risk for healthy clients, those with conditions including diabetes and psoriasis have now been advised against the indulgence.

HPA issued the new advice after a panel found fish tank water contained a number of micro-organisms and that infections could be transmitted either from fish to person, water to person, or person to person via water, surrounding surfaces and the fish.

However, it said any risk was ‘very low’ for healthy clients when spas adhered to strict codes of cleanliness with the report also saying that the risk of a blood-born virus is likely to be ‘extremely low’ but could not be ‘completely excluded’.

Dr Hilary Kirkbride, consultant epidemiologist at the HPA, said: “Provided that good standards of hygiene are followed by salons, members of the public are unlikely to get an infection from a fish spa pedicure. However the risk will be higher for certain people.

“This is why we feel it’s important for salons to ensure the client has no underlying health conditions that could put them at risk, and that a thorough foot examination is performed to make sure there are no cuts, grazes or existing skin conditions that could spread infection.”

Tom Philpotts, owner and manager of Yu Tang Foot Spa in Westover Road, Bournemouth said: “We ask our customers to fill out a survey before any treatment begins to check for risk factors and other issues that could become an issue.

“And due to a top range advanced system our water changes every three-and-a-half minutes to minimise the risk and is sterilised.

“We do have to battle because there are a few places that do not go to the measures that we do and it is very frustrating.

“My advice for people would be, ask at the salon what their procedures are relating to hygiene and tell them about medical conditions beforehand.

“No beauty procedure is without risk but obviously do your research on the place beforehand, as you should with any beauty procedure.”

Customers were still enjoying pedicures at Appy Feet which opened seven weeks ago in Poole’s Dolphin Shopping Centre.

A filtration system sterilises the water up to eight times an hour, and UV systems mean no diseases can live in the water, a spokesman said.

Customers fill out a full health questionnaire and undergo a foot inspection for cuts or sores.

A spokesman said: “Appy Feet is a responsible fish spa business. The safety and wellbeing of both customers and fish are our top priority.

“We operate under strict health and safety guidelines, and work very closely with the Health and Safety Executive, and local authorities, to ensure our spas are of the highest standard.”

Appy Feet’s Garra Rufa fish do not have teeth and cannot pierce skin so transfer of fluids does not take place, he added.