Nail Fungus Laser Treatment

Pod Podiatry Clinic uses the latest in medical laser technology to treat fungal nails.

You’ll be amazed by the results …we can completely get rid of your toenail fungus!

Fungal nail before and healthy nail after laser treatment

Did you know that it is estimated that as many as 10% of the adult population in Australia have at least one toenail infected with nail fungus (onychomycoses)? That is close to 2 million people living with this chronic, unsightly infection. The main culprit is the dermatophyte Trichophyton Rubrum, although there are other species of dermatophytes, yeasts and moulds that infect nails as well.

The signs of infection are discolouration of the nail plate, ranging from white to yellow and brown. The nail plate can lift from the nail bed, and a crumbly, fetid smelling fungal growth becomes evident with chronic infection.

Onychomycosis is common in both men and women, and more common in the elderly than the young. This is due to more exposure to the pathogen over time.

There has been a sharp rise in infection rates in women, coinciding with the growth in popularity of foot spas and pedicure salon treatments.

Traumatised or damaged nails are at greater risk of infection. Other risk factors are frequently damp feet, diabetes, circulation problems and a weakened immune system.

Anyone who has suffered a fungal nail infection will tell you how difficult it is to treat. It can be a long and expensive process. Traditional treatments include topical (paint on) medications, which can take 9 months to complete and have a low success rate, and oral medications such as Terbinafine (Lamisil), which is taken as a 3 month course, with not a great success rate, and can cause liver damage and other side effects, such as nausea or headaches, in some people.

Thankfully there are medical lasers now available, which have been developed specifically to kill fungal infections in nails. Some studies have shown cure rates of up to 89% with just one laser treatment. The nail fungus laser treatment does not damage nail or skin and has no side effects except for a feeling of warmth. A typical treatment takes about 20 minutes, and it is recommended to have 2 treatments 6 weeks apart.