A fish-forward pedicure experience is in store for some shoppers at the Pentagon City mall.
At Garra Spas, clients dip their feet into basins filled with garra rufa fish for a pedicure. The toothless, freshwater species is known to feed on dead skin with a “gentle, therapeutic touch,” owner Christina Pearson said in a release.
For $32, fish exfoliate feet
- Pearson’s spa gives 15-minute fish pedicures with garra rufa, also known as “doctor fish,” whose nibbling, she says, offers rejuvenation.
- The spa opened in July 2024 on the second level of the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, offering the fishy treatments as well as an “ionic detox” pedicure.
- Though there’s some controversy around the treatment, which has been banned in some states over health concerns, Pearson maintains that her spa keeps “the highest standards of hygiene and care.”
For owner, spa is about ‘restoration’
- Since retiring from the Army in 2018, Pearson earned her Master of Business Administration degree and obtained a real estate license in Maryland.
- “Owning and operating Garra Fish Spa represents both my entrepreneurial and my dedication to creating a space of relaxation and restoration for the community,” she said.
- Hours of operation are from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Photos via Garra Fish Spas VA/Facebook.
