Fungal Nails

Fungal infections of the toe nails, medically termed onychomycosis, is a very common and aesthetically unappealing pathology. The condition is characterised by a white and/or brown discoloured and thickened nails which are generally very brittle, prone to breaking and often accompanied with a foul odour. The condition provides serious concern to the person it is affecting due to its unsightly appearance however the condition poses no real threat to the patients over health. The condition is usually associated with a compromised immune system as dermatophyte infections are opportunistic in nature.

Risk factors commonly include patients coming into contact with the infection at communal bathing areas such as swimming pools, hotels, and holiday facilities. This is due to the fact that fungal infections thrive in moist, warm, and humid conditions. Individuals more at risk are those may display increased age, reduced blood flow (such as people displaying diabetes), athletes’ foot (fungal skin infection of the feet), excessively sweaty feet, previous nail trauma causing nail detachment from the nail bed, and those who are immunocompromised.

More recently as nail salons have become more popular, many patients have contracted fungal nail infections from beauty salons where inadequate sterilisation of their instruments has resulted in cross contamination between clients. It is therefore essential that people pursue any nail care of the feet from accredited medical clinicians such as podiatrists who sterilise all instruments prior to use. Unfortunately, sterilisation of instruments in beauty salons across Australia is not regulated and poses a great risk to your nail health.

Long term fungal infections of the toe nails may result in increased complications. Commonly thickened nails which are extremely brittle can be painful and result in increased possibility of bacterial infections such as cellulitis in those at risk. Such complications could then become life threatening, especially in those who may have comprised arterial flow and immune response especially in those patients with conditions such as diabetes. It is therefore strongly advised that treatments pursued immediately upon identifying the presence of a fungal toe infection.

Traditionally, foot baths using ingredients such as salt water, vinegar, and bicarbonate soda have been used with limited success. Extreme measures such as removal of the affected nail have also been employed by medical clinicians in the past with limited success. This procedure is both costly and painful to pursue and is very rarely suggested as a means of treatment in today’s practice.

Medical Foot Care uses the most up to date laser technology to successfully treat fungal nail disease. The treatment is pain free and displays excellent clinical outcomes. The laser applies a heat to the fungal spore at temperature it cannot survive in causing it to lyse. Fortunately, this temperature is lower than that of the temperature which harms bodily cells, therefore minimal damage is caused to any surrounding tissue during the treatment. Laser therapy for fungal toes will restore your confidence with your foot health and appearance. 

In addition to the above laser therapy for nail fungal infections, patients are advised to wash their hands ater touching their feet, wear sweat absorbing socks and change if needed throughout the day to ensure they are dry, wear shoes which allow adequate circulation of air, wear thongs in areas of communal showers or swimming pools, discard old socks and shoes that may harbouring the infection or treat them with appropriate antifungal powders