Laser Onychomycosis (Nail Fungal) Treatment
Laser Onychomycosis (Nail Fungal) Treatment
What is Onychomycosis / Nail Fungus? The most common symptom of a fungal nail infection is the nail becoming thickened and discoloured: white, black, yellow or green. As the infection progresses the nail can become brittle, with pieces breaking off or coming away from the toe or finger completely. If left untreated, the skin can become inflamed and painful underneath and around the nail. There may also be white or yellow patches on the nail-bed or scaly skin next to the nail and a foul smell. There is usually no pain or other bodily symptoms, unless the disease is severe. People with onychomycosis may experience significant psychosocial problems due to the appearance of the nail, particularly when fingers which are always visible rather than toenails are affected.
What is Onychomycosis / Nail Fungus?
The most common symptom of a fungal nail infection is the nail becoming thickened and discoloured: white, black, yellow or green.
As the infection progresses the nail can become brittle, with pieces breaking off or coming away from the toe or finger completely.
If left untreated, the skin can become inflamed and painful underneath and around the nail.
There may also be white or yellow patches on the nail-bed or scaly skin next to the nail and a foul smell. There is usually no pain or other bodily symptoms, unless the disease is severe.
People with onychomycosis may experience significant psychosocial problems due to the appearance of the nail, particularly when fingers which are always visible rather than toenails are affected.
The Causes of Nail Fungus?
Fungal nail infection is a common problem affecting around three in every 100 people in the UK. Around half of all nail problems are due to a fungal infection.
Fungal nail infection is about four times more common in toenails than fingernails and can involve all or part of the nail, including the nail plate, nail bed and root of the nail. It usually affects adults, especially men, and becomes more common as you get older.
There are a number of ways of contracting fungal toenails, with one of the most common being the spread of other fungal infections from the skin between the toes to the nails. Others include walking in damp places where fungi live such as swimming pools.
A damaged nail can often be the point of entry for any infection and a poor state of health can increase the risk together with increasing age and a poor choice of footwear.
What is Laser Onychomycosis Removal?
Laser Onychomycosis Removal has actually been used and FDA-approved for other medical applications primarily in Dermatology since 2005 and it is estimated that given its broad scope of application, it has been safely used in over one million treatments since that time.
This simple and effective procedure uses the power of a Nd:YAG laser light to heat evenly throughout the depth of the effected nail and skin tissue, effectively weakening and killing parasitic fungi which have infected the patients nails.
The Procedure - What Should I Expect?
Step One
The nail is filed down. During onychomycosis the nail will become deformed and overgrown, it may also thicken. Filing down the nail allows laser light to fully penetrate into the treatment site.
Step Two
The laser is applied in pulses in a circular pattern covering the nail, slightly overlapping so that the nail is fully covered. There should be a slight heating sensation felt throughout the nail.
Step Three
The laser is pulsed around the perimeter of the nail bed and around the finger or toe. Often parasitic fungus has worked its way beyond the nail bed and needs to be eliminated in all the tissue surrounding the nail to prevent recurrence.
How Quickly Will I See Results from the Nail Fungus Treatment?
Upon a treatment all of the nail fungus should be destroyed. Visual improvement is not immediate as it does require your toe nail to grow out. Depending on how quickly your nails grow, you could see new clear nail appear starting at the bottom of your nail in a matter of only a few weeks. It could take, however, six months or longer for your old, diseased nail to completely grow out and be replaced by new, clear nail.
How Effective are Laser Nail Fungus Treatments?
In a controlled medical setting using a single practitioner, over 100 patients were treated with varying degrees of onychomycosis. From this group, patient satisfaction was measured at 100% with the eventual appearance of significant to complete clear nail measured in 97% of cases. Only the most advanced cases of toe nail fungus did not report complete clearance and in those rare cases a simple follow-up treatment will usually produce the desired result.
Is the procedure painful?
Most people do not feel any pain. Some patients may experience slight warmth or occasional snapping sensation during the procedure. If you have any pain during the procedure, the laser power can be decreased slightly to eliminate any pain. No anaesthesia is needed.
Laser Nail Fungal Removal
Valentine Offers End 29/02/24
We guarantee you will be pleased with the long lasting results that we will help you achieve. Onychomycosis (Nail Fungus) can be eliminated with just one treatment, however, sometimes a second treatment maybe advised.
