Lasermed now offers successful laser treatment for nail infections. A Nail infection can be caused by either bacteria (acute or chronic) or fungal. We see mostly nail fungal infections – mainly of the toe nails but sometimes of fingernails as well. This can also be associated with athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) or other forms of fungal infections of the skin (groin area – tinea cruris) or on the rest of the body (tinea corporis). Clinically the nails may loosen from the underlying nail bed (onycholysis), have a change of colour (mainly white) or the build-up of scaling/keratin under the nail (subungual hyperkeratosis). The diagnosis can be confirmed by either doing a scraping of the nail with microscopic analysis or by doing a nail fungal culture (pathology lab).
Once confirmed there are three therapeutic options:
Laser Therapy: new discovery/invention with good to excellent cure potential.
We use the ND Yag laser for the treatment of nail fungal infections. The laser is able to destroy all forms of fungi. The treatment protocol involves one laser session per week for four weeks. The results are then assessed three months later. If after three months there is no recurring infection, the patient will be assessed again after another three months.
Topical over the counter products have no therapeutic benefit.
