ABOUT ONYCHOMYCOSIS
Onychomycosis, often referred to as fungal nails, is a condition where the fungus feeds on the keratin in the nail. The main sign of onychomycosis is discoloration of the nail, usually yellow in appearance. Without treatment, the fungal nail infection will continue to spread and cause the nail to thicken, become brittle and in some cases start to crumble. The infected nail then separates from the nail bed due to the formation of keratin between the layers and can potentially result in permanent damage to the nail.
Fotona’s ClearSteps™ Onychomycosis Treatment is a revolutionary, patient-friendly method for treating onychomycosis. Laser treatment is usually performed four times at one week intervals. All of the nails should be treated during every treatment just in case the infection is dormant in other nails. Laser light can also effectively treat fungus which has infected skin tissue; it has no effect on healthy tissue. The laser light heats evenly throughout the depth of the affected nail and skin tissue, effectively weakening and killing the parasitic fungi. Deep, pulse-profile heating of the nail bed stimulates the destruction of the fungus. The natural growth and immune processes of the body are then able to restore the nail to it’s pristine state. Healthy nail will be visible at the base within four weeks however it will take time for the nail to grow through and be completely clear. We generally like to assist treatment with oral medication.
ClearSteps™ is Performed in Three Simple Steps:
- Step 1: File down the nail. A nail affected by onychomycosis will become deformed and overgrown, it may also thicken. Filing down the nail allows laser light to fully penetrate into the treatment site.
- Step 2: Administer Nd:YAG laser pulses in a circular pattern covering the entire nail. The beam is slightly overlapped so that the nail is fully covered. The patient should feel a slight heating sensation throughout the nail.
- Step 3: Target Nd:YAG laser pulses around the perimeter of the nail bed and around the finger or toe. Often parasitic fungus has worked it’s way beyond the nail bed and needs to be eliminated in all the tissue surrounding the nail to prevent recurrence.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
All of the nail fungus should be destroyed following completion of treatment with the ClearSteps Laser System, however visual improvement is not immediate. Depending on how quickly your nails grow, you may see new clear nail starting to appear at the bottom of your nail in a matter of only a few weeks. However it can take six months or longer for the old, diseased nail to completely grow out and be replaced by new, clear nail.
The ClearSteps Laser System that we use at Body Recon has arguably the most comprehensive and positive clinical results of any treatment ever used for nail fungus. Clinical papers report eventual appearance of the nails to be completely clear in 97% of cases. Only the most advanced cases of toe nail fungus do not result in complete clearance and in those rare cases a simple follow-up treatment/session will usually produce the desired result.
No. Besides its effectiveness, the ClearSteps also offers patients a good degree of comfort during and after treatment. Lasers use heat to destroy the nail fungus, so the nail and skin may feel a little hot during the treatment. At Body Recon we use a cooling device to blow refrigerated air onto the treatment area thereby reducing any build-up of heat.
Each session is $150.00. If you purchase your treatments as a package we are able to offer your 4th treatment free, therefore $450.00 for your sessions.
Onychomycosis contraindicates you from having a professional treatment as it is highly contagious. You must wait until the nail grows out before you have a professional treatment. In the meantime you are able to perform your own manicures/pedicures at home. Onychomycosis can result from poor sterilization procedures at nail bars. It is important to always choose a reputable nail bar to reduce the chances of contracting onychomycosis again.
No. The nails are filed down to make the laser treatment more effective, this may make the nail appear thinner than usual but there will be no long-term nail weakness.
Onychomycosis, often referred to as fungal nails, is a condition where the fungus feeds on the keratin. Onychomycosis presents with discoloration of the nail, usually yellow in appearance. Without treatment, the fungal nail infection will continue to spread and cause the nail to thicken, become brittle and in some cases start to crumble. The infected nail will separate from the nail bed due to the formation of keratin between the layers and can potentially result in permanent damage to the nail.
Laser treatment is usually performed four times at one week intervals. All of the nails should be treated during every treatment just in case the infection is dormant in other nails. Laser light can also effectively treat fungus which has infected skin tissue as it has no effect on healthy tissue. The laser light heats evenly throughout the depth of the affected nail and skin tissue, effectively weakening and killing the parasitic fungi which have infected the nail. Deep, pulse-profile heating of the nail bed stimulates the destruction of the fungus. The natural growth and immune processes of the body are then able to restore the nail to its pristine state and healthy nail will be visible within four weeks. We generally like to assist treatment with oral medication.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
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