Treatment for fungal nail infections

Onychomycosis is the medical term for a fungal nail infection. It mainly affects the toenails but can also affect the nails on the hands. If you suffer from this condition then you may feel quite embarrassed about people seeing your feet without your socks or shoes, or if it is affecting the nails on your hands, you may feel very self conscious about people noticing.

Having a fungal nail infection causes your nails to get thick and brittle making them difficult to cut or trim, and it also makes them discoloured. If you have an infection like this it will feel painful and your nails are likely to be yellow, green, black or white in colour. 

If left to persist this condition can cause the nail to completely lift away from the nail bed, so it is very important to get help from a specialist if you suffer with a fungal nail infection so it can be treated straight away.

What causes fungal nail infections?

If you don’t look after your feet very well then you are at risk of getting a fungal nail infection. This includes:

• If you don’t keep your feet clean
• If you wear shoes that make your feet get too hot and sweaty
• If you don’t dry your feet properly after getting them wet
• If you go barefoot in areas where you could pick up an infection, such as at the changing rooms at the gym or at a swimming pool. 

Fungi like warm, dark and moist places, so keeping your feet clean, dry and in airy conditions can help you to prevent fungal nail infections.

Other causes of fungal nail infections can be down to having a medical condition or a weak immune system.

What treatments are available?

Fungal nail infections can be difficult to treat. This is because the fungus actually lives within the cells that produce the nail plate. 

Patients can buy over the counter products to treat this type of infection, but quite often these are not going to be strong enough to get to the root of the problem. 

Antifungal medication is available from your GP and normally comes in a pill or paint form. The disadvantages of antifungal medications is that treatment takes a long time; between six and twelve months, with varying results. 

Laser treatment is another alternative to treat a fungal nail infection.

Laser treatment for fungal nail infections

Laser treatment uses short pulses of laser light heat energy to destroy fungal nail infections without damaging the nail. It is very safe and approximately 65% effective in treating this difficult condition. Most patients will require three to five sessions of laser at monthly intervals to see an improvement.  We usually recommend conventional medical treatments  (Topical Antifungals / Oral Antifungals or both) and UV Sanitisers are used in conjunction with laser therapy to ensure optimal clinical outcomes.

Fungal nail infection treatment near me

If you are  suffering with this type of infection, we would like to invite you to visit us at the Cambridge Laser Clinic for a free consultation. We have years of experience treating fungal nail infections, and we can help you to effectively treat this condition.