Lunula Laser

There are specific clinical signs that are highly suggestive of a fungal infection such as discoloured, crumbly, loose nails. There is often the presence of athlete’s foot too. Many people will have a diagnosis from their GP but if there is doubt, nail clippings can be taken and tested with a Diafactory test (antibody test) in clinic or sent for culture at a local laboratory. There is known to be a 30 per cent false negative rate (a negative test when it appears clincally fungal) with the lab test. Most diagnoses are made by taking into account the signs and symptoms along with medical, social, sporting history.

The laser treatment for fungal nails is a breakthrough in treating the fungus infection. The laser is applied externally, and in many cases just one treatment is required. There is no requirement for oral or systemic medication that can cause side effects. There is no requirement for painting and filing the nails to apply lacquer for months on end. There are no reported side effects. The beam of laser energy is targeted through the nail to the nail bed, eliminating the fungus within.

An 18 month study completed using the Lunula laser suggests weekly treatments for 4 weeks with omre severe infections needing up to 6 treatments. The first two to three treatments are the affecting the wall of the fungal cells and helping your body to build better blood flow. The remaining treatments are still destroying nail fungus and also helping with blood flow to help the nail grow quicker. We are trialling using the laser fortnightly and monthly but at this stage cannot guarantee results until further research is done.

Treatment with Lunula ‘Cold laser’ is completely pain-free.

This is not an invasive treatment and there is no recovery period, no bandages and no pain relief or anaesthetics required. You may fly, return to work, bath/shower and continue as normal after the treatment. Sport and activity is not affected.

Any infection can return if the causative fungus is able to gain access under the nail or on the foot. We discuss methods of improving hygiene, reducing the amount of fungi that live on the foot and other ways to minimise reinfection.

The use of regular antifungal creams or sprays, avoiding walking barefoot in wet public areas, good hygiene and shoe rotation techniques are suggested. At your first appointment advice regarding prevention of recurrent infections is given verbally as well as in written form. Southern Sports Podiatry places great importance on foot health education whilst also having a large range of products available to help prevent reinfection.

Clinical studies show the Lunula laser course of treatment has the highest success rates of all the treatments available with around an 85% success rate in mild and moderate infections and closer to 70% in more severe infections, which is showing to be much higher than topical treatments (5-10% success) and almost comparable to oral medications (upwards of 70% success). We need to emphasise that for the best outcome you must attend the suggested laser treatments, the use of the topical medicines provided and the UV sterilisation of your shoes.

Fungal spores are present on the foot irrespective of which nails are affected. Toe spaces, grooves around the nails as well as the sole and arch of the foot are all places where fungi thrive. The dark, moist, hot and enclosed environment of the shoe provides an easy breeding site for fungi. If all fungus is not treated, reinfection is more likely.

A research study published in The British Journal of Dermatology in 2009 assessed fungi in normal-appearing nails among people who have had athlete’s foot and those who had never had any fungal problems. It concluded that fungi could be isolated from normal-appearing toenails and that the presence of these spores was strongly associated with the presence of athlete’s foot (tinea pedis). Subclinical dermatophytes in the nail plate may serve as a reservoir for ongoing local infection.

So yes we prefer to treat both feet to help with the long term outcome – and there is no extra charge for both feet.

Guidelines for use of this technique advise that all the nails should be treated to prevent fungal spores spreading. With toenails especially, because they are tightly packed against each other in shoes and in a warm, moist environment, the chance of cross infection is high.