COMMON FOOT PROBLEMS

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Lake Wales Foot & Ankle Care

Address
408 South 1st Street
Lake Wales, FL 33853
Phone: (863)676-1710
Fax: (863)676-0025

LASER TREATMENT FOR NAIL FUNGUS

What is toenail fungus?

Nail fungus, or onychomycosis, is an ailment that plagues 10% of the world’s population. Onychomycosis causes toenails to become yellow or discolored and if not treated, will cause them to become brittle and thick and separate from the nail bed over time.

What does laser treatment do?

Light from the laser filters through the nail and the adjacent tissue. Pigment in the fungi absorbs the light, heating it and harming the organism. The elimination of fungus will allow your nail to grow normally.

What results can I expect?

During clinical research, 68% of patients exhibited post-treatment improvement in the percent of nail with no infection. The extent of progress you will experience is reliant on individual circumstances and is something your doctor will discuss with you.

What is the treatment like?

During laser nail fungus treatment, the laser is passed over the infected nails and bordering skin. This process will be repeated several times by your physician until a sufficient amount of energy has extended into the nail bed. During this treatment, you may feel your nail grow warmer.

Treatment Duration

 One treatment lasts about 20 minutes and can treat 5-10 nails. Be sure to check with your doctor as duration times vary.

Number of Treatments

 Typically, patients demonstrate improvement after just one treatment. This number varies, however, depending on the severity of the infection.

Before the Procedure

 Please remove all nail polish and decorations the day before the procedure.

During the procedure

 Patients report that the process is generally comfortable. You may feel a small hot pinch near the end, lasting momentarily.

After the Procedure

 Your nail might feel warmer than normal for a few minutes following the procedure. Most patients are able to resume normal activities immediately.
Long Term A successful treatment will result in a new and healthier nail growing. As nails tend to grow slowly, it may take up to a year for results to be complete.

Can the fungal infection return?

While your nail will show signs of immediate improvement following the fungus nail treatment, it is important to continue with home care techniques to dissuade recurrence. Re-infection is possible as the fungus is located almost everywhere in the environment.