Are you embarrassed of your fungal toe nails? Don’t want to wear sandals or open shoes?
Fungal nails can be unsightly, smelly and embarrassing; often they are thick, yellow and crumbly in nature.
The Australian Podiatry Association said that a fungal nail infection, referred to in medical terms as onychomycosis, occurs when fungi (a kind of microorganism) infect your nails.
You may first notice the infection as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail. Symptoms of a fungal infection may include brittleness, discoloration, thickening and crumbling of the nail, as well as debris under the nail itself. In some cases, the nail can detach from the nail bed.
The association estimates that approximately 50 percent of all nail disorders are fungal infections. There are many contributing causes, including physical damage to the nail, a weakened immune system due to conditions such as diabetes and cancer, and overexposure to water or detergents.
Fungal infections in toe nails affect approximately 2 million Australians. They are commonly found in adults over 60 years of age.
They often enter through a damaged or traumatised nail. Once entered, the spores grow and often spread to other nails.
Fungus grows very well in toe nails as they are mostly in dark moist and sweaty environments which are ideal for fungal development.
David Logue and the team from Blue Mountains Podiatry have been struggling to treat fungal nails for more than 10 years with limited success.
Previous treatments would consist of very expensive lacquers, oils and creams and regular filing for up to two years with no result.
However Blue Mountains Podiatry now have a new state of the art high powered laser specific to treat fungal nails in just two half hour treatments.
Laser therapy is fast, safe and effective with no nasty side effects.
Benefits include:
- • Painless
- • 80% plus success rate
- • Quick (only requires two 30 minute treatments)
- • No filing
- • No applying expensive lacquers
- • Kill fungus immediately. Results can be seen in 3 months as the nail grows out.
- • No local anaesthetic
- • No compliance issues with home treatments
- • Cost effective
Blue Mountains Podiatry provided the following tips to avoid reinfection:
- Avoid nail salons that don’t use sterile instruments
- Treat your shoes and socks with an antifungal spray daily
- Put your shoes out in the sun regularly to dry out
- See your podiatrist immediately for further treatment if you notice any discolouration in your nails
To get your fungal nails treated quickly call Blue Mountains Podiatry on 47517583 for the Faulconbridge clinic or 47826169 for the Katoomba clinic.
