About Arches Podiatry

Onychomycosis (toenail fungus) Treatment

Onychomycosis (toenail fungus) affects millions of people worldwide and Bermuda residents can be particularly susceptible due to the high humidity.

Toenail fungus is highly contagious. If left untreated, it can spread to other toes and members of your household who share areas where it is normal to go barefoot. Friends can also be exposed if you regularly go barefoot at each other’s homes; or at public locations like gyms, locker rooms and swimming pools.

The risk of complications for diabetic patients can be much higher. Chronic fungal toenails in a diabetic foot can lead to secondary bacterial infection, cellulitis and can even increase the risk of amputation.

This patient presented with a severe case of onchomycosis, causing discoloration of the toenail, a very thick and brittle nail and loosening from the nail bed.

Before

After

Treatment*

We used laser therapy to treat the affected toenail. The electromagnetic light emitted by the laser, moves through the nail and “attacks” the fungal colony and bacteria without damaging healthy tissue. The patient received a course of sessions over a 4-month period.

How Laser Therapy Works

Our body’s cells absorb electromagnetic light, accelerating cell growth, and increasing neutrophils (white blood cells that fights infections). These white blood cells create a crucial line of defense against the dermatophytes that cause fungal infections.

Laser therapy is a pain-free and harmless solution to toenail fungus. As you can see from the before and after photos, the results speak for themselves.*

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* Results may vary. Treatment success is dependent on a variety of factors including severity of symptoms, adherence to podiatrist advice, and overall patient health.