In our comprehensive list, you will find all the best, trustworthy Laser for Fungal Nail Infection (Onychomycosis) clinics near Kiskin.
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[48 miles from Kiskin]
Largest in Cumbria Multi Award Winning Face, Body and Laser Clinic based in Carlisle. We provide aesthetic treatments at the cutting edge of science and beauty, from reducing wrinkles and fine lin...[READ MORE]
Unit 1 Kingmoor Road, Carlisle, CA3 9QJ
Laser for Fungal Nail Infection (Onychomycosis) FAQ
Fungal nail infections, known medically as Onychomycosis, is caused by the growth of a fungus in the nail and possibly the nail bed. All fungal spores grow where the conditions are dark, moist and warm, and hands and feet are a perfect environment for them.
You can be infected from changing rooms or from an Athlete’s foot infection or even from cosmetic treatment such as manicures and pedicures if the equipment is not sterilised effectively. Wherever it comes from, once you have an infection it is difficult to treat as the fungus doesn’t just grow on the surface but spreads down into the nail and into the skin underneath.
The first sign of an infection is a discolouration of the nail usually starting white and spreading up the nail as it grows carrying the infection with it. If the blood supply from the nail bed is affected the nail may turn red or black, and if it leads to a bacterial infection there may be a green discolouration. The nail becomes thickened and difficult to cut or trim and through the pressure from shoes it can become brittle and fragile and portions can break off. Eventually, the nail bed and nail may separate, and that becomes a more difficult problem to rectify. The infection must be eliminated from the base of the nail bed entirely to remove the fungus. A healthy, infection free nail will then grow out, with the infected portion removed by normal trimming. Depending on the growth rate it can take up to a year for the nail to return to normal. During this time, good hygiene should prevent further infection, but it is a rigorous routine.
Left untreated the problem is highly unlikely to resolve itself. There is also the risk that the infection will spread from digit to digit and to other people you are in close contact with.
There are two types of laser treatment that are effective in treating fungal nail infections. Both would require any excessive thickening of the nail to be filed away before treatment began, and in both cases the uninfected nail will grow from the base of the nail to replace the infected portion which would be clipped away as usual from the top. Before and after photographs allow progress to be monitored. Some clinics also take clippings for microscope analysis to monitor the fungal infection.
The first type of laser treatments uses laser light typically emitted from Nd:YAG lasers with a wavelength of 1064nm of infra-red light. Examples of such brands of laser include PinPointe from Cynosure and ClearChoice from Alma Lasers.
The laser light is applied across the nail in short pulses by a clinician using the handpiece of the laser device. All the affected nails would be treated individually but it is relatively quick, taking about ten minutes to do one hand or foot. The treatment would then be repeated at four week intervals until the infection was gone. There is a mild sensation of discomfort with this treatment but it seems to vary a lot between individuals, their pain threshold and the state of their infection.
More recently there are now “cold” laser treatments available such as the Lunula treatment which is often found to be more comfortable for the client. The Lunula uses much lower wavelengths of light – 405nm and 635nm – which means that it is not relying on heat to kill the infection; hence the term cold laser. The whole foot or hand can be treated by placing it into a device that rotates the laser beams over the surface. It uses two wavelengths of light simultaneously; one to treat the fungus, and another to stimulate the blood supply to boost the immune response in that area. The cycle takes about twelve minutes per hand or foot and as the energy is lower there is minimum discomfort to the client.
Although not strictly a complication, laser treatment is directed at the nail bed and this causes a warming sensation which can last for a minute or two as treatment is applied with the pulse of laser energy. This can be a painful sensation, due to the heat, but is considered tolerable and just uncomfortable. Any discomfort subsides quickly after treatment. You may wish to keep the area cool for up to 24 hours after treatment.
Laser treatment for fungal nail infection is generally considered to be side effect free, producing no harm to the nail or surrounding skin. The previously infected and damaged nail will shed naturally as the nail grows, bringing fresh, healthy, uninfected nail along to replace it.
It is the medicated route that has a whole host of contraindications attached, so laser treatment is usually a safer alternative for pregnant or breast feeding women or other people who have conditions that prevent them from taking the oral medication. However, the initial consultation should be thorough and you need to ask questions if you have any specific concerns.
Contra-indications would include those with diabetes or poor circulation or immune deficiency.
Most podiatry and chiropody clinics offer fungal nail treatments and should quote a price for their treatment to facilitate a cure. In cosmetic clinics, any trained laser practitioner who has received specific training for the treatment of fungal nails would also be able to administer the laser treatment. However, they may not be able to pre-file the nail themselves.
A registered podiatrist or chiropodist clinic may be the best place to get a course of treatment, although there are now also specialist cosmetic laser clinics who focus solely on the use of lasers in cosmetic medicine that can provide the full nail treatment.
There are many lasers being used nowadays by podiatrists, chiropodists and aestheticians that it can be very confusing. The best advice is to talk to the practitioner and look for clinics that are trained in this treatment application, and can show you some positive results from their own clients. The clinic may have a laser capable of this mode of use, but it is the operator who needs to be the expert in this application so ask for training certificates specifically for this indication.
Find a specialist treatment centre for fungal nail infections.
We often get asked "Where can I get Laser for Fungal Nail Infection (Onychomycosis) near me", so we have listed local areas where Laser for Fungal Nail Infection (Onychomycosis) clinics are located.