Physio&SoleClinic Fungal Nail Infection, Podiatry April 18 2016

Overview

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection that affects either the fingernails or toenails. Fungal infections normally develop over time, so any immediate difference in the way your nail looks or feels may be too subtle to notice at first.

A fungal nail infection occurs from the overgrowth of fungi in, under, or on the nail. Fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, which unfortunately makes our feet highly susceptible to fungal infections.

Why do fungi develop?

Fungi that are already present on your body can cause nail infections. If you have come in contact with someone else who has a fungal infection, it may spread to you. Fungal infections affect toenails more commonly than fingernails because your toes are usually confined to your shoes, where they’re in a warm, moist environment – perfect for fungi to thrive.

Symptoms

Visible signs of a fungal nail infection include:

• Scaling under the nail.
• White or yellow streaks on the nail.
• Crumbling corner or tip of the nail.
• Flaking white areas on the nail’s surface, which may include pits in the nail
• The appearance of yellow spots at the bottom of the nail.
• Loss of nail

Treatment

Over-the-counter products can treat nail infections but they do not provide reliable results. Sometimes, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication but these can cause severe side effects.

At Physio & Sole Clinic, we are one of only a few clinics that offer the PACT^® therapy in Singapore. PACT^® is an abbreviation for the scientific term ‘Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy’. This revolutionary method of treatment effectively kills off bacteria, viruses and fungi on skin surfaces and toenails! Most importantly, PACT can eliminate stubborn fungus from nail beds and allow the nail to adhere to the nail bed, effectively sealing the nail from recurring nail infections. This sets PACT apart from conventional treatment methods.

How does PACT work?

Photodynamic therapy involves the interaction of light, a photosensitive agent and oxygen to produce a local chemical effect. This photochemical reaction induces fungal cell death without affecting surrounding tissue, meaning it is 100% safe!

What does fungal nail treatment with PACT involve?

A PACT nail fungus treatment session will involve:

1. Our podiatrist confirming the diagnosis of nail fungus and checking your suitability for PACT treatment.
2. Trimming, filing and removing all of the infected nail using sterilised and specialised Podiatry instruments.
3. Applying a special PACT gel to the nail, which is left on the affected nail for 5-10 minutes. This gel stains the fungal cells, making them sensitive to the light emitted by the PACT LED lamp.
4. The PACT LED light is subsequently applied, penetrating the nail to destroy the fungal cells.

Our Success Cases

Patients typically come in after all other kinds of treatment have not been effective. Their fungal problems have plagued them for many years. PACT has been proven to be highly effective and we have had great success treating fungal nail infections using PACT.

20 year old fungal problem

Does PACT Nail Fungus Therapy have any side effects?

PACT nail fungus therapy is 100% safe with no known contra-indications. Repeated exposure to the light does not cause any adverse effects. Following a PACT therapy treatment session, the nail will retain a blue discolouration which should vanish within a week of treatment.

Feel free to consult our podiatrists regarding your nails and assess if you are suitable for this therapy! You can send in a photo of your nails to our “Ask a Podiatrist” Whatsapp Service. Our podiatrists will be happy to help!

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