Fungal Nail Laser Treatment

Fungal nail infections are in increasingly common problem, and there are several different types of nail infections caused by both bacteria and fungus. The infections enter the nail and can be present in both toenails and fingernails. Unfortunately, once a nail has become fungal, the condition will deteriorate and can spread to other nails, and it will not recover without some form of treatment.

You may suffer from a nail infection (onychomycosis) if you have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Discoloured nails
• Yellow streaks under the nail
• Distorted or thickened nails
• Brittle, crumbly or ragged nail
• Nails separated from the underlying skin
• The build-up of debris (nail fragments, skin) under the nail

When will I see results? You will not notice anything immediately post-treatment, even if the fungus has been eradicated. This is because your nail is non-living tissue, called keratin. The fungal spores feed off the nail, and so the nail cannot physically repair itself as it does not have the capacity to do so. However, as the nail grows out from under the cuticle, the new nail growth should be clear if the treatment has been successful. The effectiveness of the fungal nail treatment is very promising, with an 80% or greater success rate. Clients have also reported that after 180 days post laser treatment, 91% found an improvement in their symptoms. Toenails generally grow rather slowly, especially nails which are infected with fungus. Therefore, it may take six to twelve months for your nail to grow out. To visualise this a bit better, if you your nail if only 25% of the area of your nail is infected, it will most likely look healthier in 3-4 months, if 50% is infected, it may take around 6 months. However, if the whole nail is showing symptoms, or if the infection is severe, it may take a year to regrow healthily post-treatment.

Client Pre and Post-Treatment Advice: For the treatment to be successful, it is important that there is no cross-infection after your treatment – the chain of infection must be broken.

Pre-Treatment: Prior to your treatment, you should visit a Chiropodist/Podiatrist to confirm a diagnosis of fungal nail. You must also bring a new pair of socks to your appointment.

Post-treatment:

• Thoroughly wash the feet every day and dry well between the toes.
• Apply anti-fungal cream twice a day – morning and night after washing feet.
• Keep nails short and cut straight across and always cut the infected toes last.
• Disinfect nail clippers and scissors after each use and soak in bleach.
• Wear clean socks daily. If you wear metal-capped boots, it may be a good idea to change socks half-way through the day. Wear open-toe shoes without socks where possible.
• Wash all bedding, socks, tights, towels etc on a 60 degree wash minimum.
• Do not share towels.
• Disinfect shower/bathroom floor with bleach, and wash bath mats regularly.
• If possible, throw old shoes and slippers away, and disinfect shoes with anti-fungal product frequently. Sliders are a good idea, as they can be sprayed and wiped in between use with ease.
• Limit nail polish use – this can trap moisture and worsen the infection.