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It’s not pretty but it’s fact of life... One in ten people have nail fungus! It loves to grow in dark, moist places, like our shoes for example!Swimmers, Hockey Players, Runners and other athletes are especially susceptible. Anyone can get it, or should I say catch it? It’s alive and it’s contagious.
It can easily be spread during the simple process of enjoying a manicure or pedicure, if the previous client was infected. It can also be spread at the pool, the gym or by wearing the shoes of a person who has it.
The technical name is Onychomycosis, which is the medical term for a nail infection caused by a fungus. There are many different species of fungus that can cause Onychomycosis. Once an infection develops, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate. Nails infected with fungus tend to grow slowly as the infection becomes embedded within the nail bed.
Nail fungus is unsightly and, if left untreated, can result in loss of the nail. Traditional treatment involves an oral anti-fungal antibiotic medication called Lamisil. Unfortunately, this drug can take months to be effective and has been known to cause liver damage. To add insult to injury, it rarely gets rid of the fungus. It almost always comes back.
Can you pass the nail fungus test?
If you notice any of the following changes in your nails you may have nail fungus:
Nail fungus can be eradicated with lasers!
The FDA and Health Canada have approved a laser known as a ND Yag for the treatment of Nail Fungus. This versatile laser is useful for many other indications as well. In the treatment of nail fungus, it allows us to apply just enough bulk heating at the perfect depth to kill fungus. A series of quick, safe and painless treatments has proven effective at killing nail fungus on the toes or the fingers!
A series of three treatments performed four to six weeks apart will eliminate the fungus in most cases. It is highly recommended that a Sterishoe insert be placed inside of all existing shoes. This should be done once per week for four weeks to eliminate the fungus inside of a patient’s existing shoes. That, combined with daily application of a topical version of Lamisil applied directly onto the infected nails increase the success rate. Additional laser treatments may be required for severely infected nails. Toenails may take nine to twelve months and fingernails may take six to nine months for complete re-growth of healthy nails.
Unfortunately, laser treatment of Onychomycosis is considered a cosmetic procedure and may or may not be covered by insurance. It’s best to treat nail fungus in the early stages before the nail becomes distorted. Fewer treatments may be required. If left untreated it will never go away by itself and it will always get worse. The ability to eradicate this unsightly condition with lasers is a breakthrough for those suffering from nail fungus!
Many women wear nail polish year round to hide nail fungus and many men simply hide their feet. At this time of year when sandals and open-toed shoes is the footwear of choice, nail fungus can be embarrassing. After the treatment woman can continue to wear nail polish between treatments.
The sooner you get started the sooner you will have healthy nails and be able to show your feet with confidence at the beach!
If you would like to investigate the numerous anti-aging options that are available, call and schedule a consultation. Our style of consultation is relaxed and educational. Our goal is to address your concerns in the order of your priorities and give you all of the information you need to make an informed decision.
This will help you choose the right
treatment or combination of treatments to achieve the result you desire within the budget you have to invest.
Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Consultations are free and
so is parking.
Learn more about Nail fungus laser treatment!
