Fungal nail infections affect around 1 in 10 of us at any one time and 4 out
of 10 of us at some time in our lives. This is an embarrassing medical
condition that causes great distress to some sufferers. Unfortunately, fungal
nail infections have proved to be an impossible hurdle for medical science in
the past with topical applications often curing only 10% of cases.
The PinPointe laser technology has been used in the USA for several years and
has produced the very impressive result of an 88% clearance rate. As the new
'Gold Standard' it is widely used by podiatrists and dermatologists alike for
the benefit of their patients.
This Fungal Nail Laser treatment kills the fungus that lives in, under and around the affected nail. The laser light passes through the nail without causing damage to the nail or the skin. The light source is specifically calibrated to kill infective spores and leave the dermal tissue unaffected.
How long does Laser nail Treatment take to work ?
Whilst the fungi are killed at the time of the procedure, the damaged nail cannot repair itself. New nail will need to grow up from the base and push the damaged nail out to be trimmed off as it grows. This means that the nail will not be cosmetically different immediately after the treatment, but will clear as it grows.
What will happen at my consultation ?
Firstly, we will examine your nail and determine if it is suitable for treatment.The pros and cons of treatment (as contained here) will be discussed and any questions you may have can be answered. If you elect to proceed with treatment, the procedure is to perform one treatment initially. This is a safe process which takes around 30 minutes and generally creates no sensation for the patient. It is a walk-in, walk-out procedure which does not require local or other anaesthesia. A follow up visit is scheduled for three to four months time. Further treatment is generally not required at this time. Any further applications of the laser treatment if required is done without additional cost.
Is fungal nail laser treatment effective ?
Clinical studies of the PinPointe Laser kills nail fungus and promotes clear nail growth after a single treatment in more than 88% of cases. PinPointe Laser has been found to be safe, effective and to have the best chance of patients improvement of any other studied modality. We treat all 10 nails each time to prevent any cross infection.
What happens after the treatment by Fungal Nail Laser ?
After leaving the clinic, you can proceed to use nail polish immediately if you wish.You should follow the advice that we provide on avoiding any future reinfection. These instructions are the same as we would supply to someone who had never had a fungal infection.
What is the cost of fungal nail laser treatment in Brisbane ?
Providing the PinPointe laser device as a treatment option for our patients required a significant expense in purchasing the unit and further commitment to training our staff to ensure the best possible outcome. The treatment package includes the two podiatry consultations described above, the laser treatment and a topical lotion to apply to the nail to protect it against new infection as the patchy nail grows out. We are currently offering this new service at an introductory rate for the remainder of 2011. We support our profession? advertising guidelines which discourages the explicit advertisement of 'specials' and can forward a costing by e-mail to any interested persons. Request a price for Fungal Nail Laser treatment by email or by phone.
Can the PinPointe laser be used on fingernails ?
Yes. The process is just the same to use laser in treating fungal fingernails..
Nails can be infected by fungi, yeasts and molds or a combination of these. Each of these bugs is a
micro-organism - a bit like a bacteria - but from a different family. Fungi can
affect several types of your body's tissue including mucous membranes, skin,
hair and, of course, the nails of the fingers and toes. This means that, when
you come to treat the condition,attention needs to be given to the skin
around the nails, in the space under the nail and in the nail itself. People
who are affected by fungus often comment that the condition has "killed the
nail". In actual fact, all nails - even the most healthy look ones - are
already dead. The only living part of the nail plate is below the skin at the
base. This is an important fact as it means that nails don't have any potential
to fight off infection by these bugs. Also fungal spores are everywhere - all
the time. The nail's only protection from being infected by them is the shiny
surface of the nail. With this gloss intact, the spores can't settle in and
grow but just 'slide off'. A good analogy is to think of it like a concrete
driveway.No cracks there means no weeds will grow. If cracks occur, no
matter how clean you keep your environment, weeds will always grow.
The most common fungi that
cause nail infection disease are Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans
and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
What are
the signs and symptoms of fungal nail infection?
Fungal nail infections are
unsightly and embarrassing to many sufferers.When they occur on the
fingers, there are additional hygiene concerns, particularly when preparing
food. Not all nail infections cause pain but this can occur as debris builds up
under the nail plate.Some of the symptoms can include:
Streaking & staining of the nail plate
and / or nail bed
A collection of rubbish building up
between the nail and the skin
Yellow, brown, white or black
discolouration of the nail
