Laser Nail Therapy
HMC Health Foot & Ankle offers cutting edge laser treatment for fungal toenails. We use the first FDA cleared laser indicated for the treatment of fungal toenails, the PinPointe Footlaser®. We are an authorized Laser Nail Therapy Center, and participates as a provider of the nation's largest laser nail clinic. PinPointe Footlaser is a safe, effective, generally painless procedure that can be used as primary treatment or complement to oral and topical medications to improve results.
COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION! No obligation. Get your questions answered and determine if you are good candidate. Schedule an appointment today.
Q: What do I need to do prior to my appointment?
A: Remove all nail polish. Bring a clean pair of socks with you or wear sandals.
Q: What can I expect at the consultation?
A: A client intake of required information and a confidential consultation with our podiatrist. The laser nail treatment will be scheduled for another visit. In certain cases, if time permits, the first laser session can be performed the same day.
Q: How long is an appointment?
A: The actual laser time is approximately 15-30 minutes, not including room prep or consultation time. Please plan to spend an hour of time for your visit. This includes treatment, and additional time for instructions for post treatment care to prevent future re-infection.
Q: When is the treatment carried out?
A: In many cases, patients request the option to have time available after a consultation to treat the nail immediately. Other patients prefer to attend the consultation separately. In either case there is no obligation to have the treatment and we would advise if we felt it would be unsuitable.
Q: What can I expect at the laser therapy sessions?
A: The laser nail treatment will be performed only if appropriate and after an initial consultation and questionnaire answered. Each session takes approximately 30-60 minutes, with treatment.
Q: Is the procedure painful?
A: Most people feel no pain. Some people feel a warming sensation or pinprick.
Q: Is there a recovery period?
A: No. You may return to your normal activities after treatment, including work.
Q: How many treatments are advised?
A: The evidence so far shows excellent results in just one treatment but a number of patients have found that the results are slow or are varied in some nails especially in a longstanding infection. Sometimes several re-treatments are needed to address persistent infection or re-infection during the time the nails grow out.
Q: How soon can I begin to see results?
A: It may take up to a year for new nail to grow out, replacing the existing nail. Please note that the existing nails will not change. The shape of the nail may not change, as laser only treats the color appearance of nails. As the nail grows out, you may begin to see the base of the nail grow out clear around three months time.
Q: Why is laser treatment a good treatment for fungal toenails?
A: The laser treatment for fungal nails is a breakthrough in treating the fungus infection. The laser is applied externally. There is no requirement for oral or systemic medication that can cause side effects. Topical treatments work poorly and require long-term application. The beam of laser energy is targeted through the nail to the nail bed, eliminating the fungus within.
Q: What laser do you use?
A: We use the PinPointe Footlaser®, which was the first laser specifically studied for use for nail fungus, and has shown to be a safe treatment while delivering a high quality laser since 2007.
Q: Who performs the laser treatment?
A: Laser treatments are performed by licensed podiatrists in our office.
Q: What if it does not work?
A: The treatment has been shown to be greater than 70% effective in a single treatment. The effective rate increases with subsequent treatments (second and third rounds).
Q: What about fingernail treatment?
A: The laser therapy can be performed on fingernails with the same success. With some infections, all the nails would be treated; with others, just the infected or neighboring fingernails. Treatment of fingernails would need to be performed by a licensed provider or doctor that is trained in treating disorders of the hand. We now do offer fingernail treatment by one of our licensed physicians.
Q: Why do all my nails of the foot need treating?
A: 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, warm and enclosed environment of the shoe provides an easy breeding site for fungi. If all fungus is not treated, reinfection is 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.
Q: Are there any contraindications to having laser nail treatment?
A: Although considered safe for most people, laser treatment is contraindicated in pregnancy, sunburned skin, scleroderma, those people with previous skin cancers on the feet or hands, people who have used Accutane (isotretinoin) in the last 12 months, anyone who has had a major skin disease or anyone who has experienced problems with previous laser treatments. Those with psoriasis may not benefit from laser treatment. Please discuss any skin abnormality or disorder with our podiatrist prior to treatment.
Q: Will this procedure be covered by my health insurance?
A: This Laser Nail Procedure is considered aesthetic and is NOT covered under any insurance policies. Houston Medical Clinic does not file insurance claims for any procedure performed. Most Heath Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) may be used for this treatment. Please contact your individual HSA or FSA regarding coverage.
鐳射指甲治療
休士頓診所休康足科提供最先進的雷射治療真菌腳趾甲。我們使用 PinPointe Footlaser®, 是第一個FDA批准的激光用於治療真菌腳趾甲。它是一種安全，有效的，通常無痛的治療，可以用來作為主要的治療或補充口服和外用藥物來提高效果。無需麻醉。
免費諮詢。無義務。 回答您的問題, 而且了解您的症狀是不是雷射治療能幫助。還因您的愉悅!
問：預約前我需要做什麼？
答：去除所有指甲油。帶一雙乾淨的襪子或穿涼鞋。
問：我在諮商中能期待什麼？
答：客戶取得所需資訊並與我們的足病醫師進行保密諮詢。 雷射指甲治療將安排在另一次就診時進行。 在某些情況下，如果時間允許，第一次雷射治療可以在同一天進行。
問：預約需要多長時間？
答：實際雷射治療時間約 15-30 分鐘，不包括房間準備或諮詢時間。請計劃花費一小時的時間進行參觀。這包括治療，以及額外的時間用於指導治療後護理以防止將來再次感染。
問：什麼時候進行治療？
答：在許多情況下，患者要求在諮詢後有空閒時間立即治療指甲。其他患者則希望單獨來就診。 無論哪種情況，都沒有義務接受治療，如果我們認為治療不合適，我們會提出建議。
問：雷射治療期間我能得到什麼效果？
答：只有在適當的情況下並經過初步諮詢和回答問卷後才會進行雷射指甲治療。 每次療程大約需要 30-60 分鐘，包括療程。
問： 手術過程痛苦嗎？
答：大多數人感覺不到疼痛。 有些人會感到溫熱或針刺感。
問：有恢復期嗎？
答：不需要。
問：建議進行幾次治療？
答：迄今為止的證據表明，一次治療就能取得很好的效果，但許多患者發現，效果很慢或在某些指甲上有所不同，尤其是在長期感染的情況下。 有時需要多次重新治療來解決持續的感染或指甲長出期間的再次感染。
問：多久我才能開始看到結果？
答：新指甲可能需要一年的時間才能長出來並取代現有的指甲。 請注意，現有的指甲不會改變。 指甲的形狀可能不會改變，因為雷射只治療指甲的顏色外觀。 隨著指甲的長出，大約三個月後，您可能會開始看到指甲根長得清晰起來。
問：為什麼雷射治療是治療灰指甲的良藥？
答：雷射治療灰指甲是治療真菌感染的突破。 雷射是外部應用的。不需要服用可能引起副作用的口服或全身性藥物。 局部治療效果不佳，需長期治療。 雷射能量束穿過指甲到達甲床，消除指甲內的真菌。
問：您使用什麼雷射？
答：我們使用 PinPointe Footlaser®，這是第一款專門研究用於治療指甲真菌的雷射器，自 2007 年以來已被證明是一種安全的治療方法，同時提供高品質的雷射。
答：雷射治療由我們辦公室的持證足病醫生進行。
Q：如果它不起作用怎麼辦？
答：事實證明，單次治療的有效率超過 70%。 隨著後續治療（第二輪、第三輪），有效率會增加。
Q： 那麼指甲治療怎麼樣？
答：雷射療法可以在指甲上進行，並且具有相同的成功率。 對於某些感染，所有指甲都需治療；對其他人來說，僅僅是受感染的或鄰近的指甲。 指甲的治療需要由有執照的提供者或接受過治療手部疾病訓練的醫生進行。我們現在確實提供由我們的一位執業醫師進行的指甲治療。
問：為什麼我的所有腳趾甲都需要治療？
答：無論哪個指甲受到影響，腳上都會存在真菌孢子。 腳趾間隙、指甲周圍的凹槽以及腳底和足弓都是真菌滋生的地方。 鞋子陰暗、潮濕、溫暖、封閉的環境為真菌提供了容易滋生的場所。如果不治療所有真菌，則很可能會再次感染。 2009 年《英國皮膚病學雜誌》上發表的一項研究對曾患過腳癬的人和從未患過真菌問題的人的正常指甲中的真菌進行了評估。研究得出的結論是，可以從正常的腳趾甲中分離出真菌，並且這些孢子的存在與腳癬（足癬）的存在密切相關。 指甲板中的亞臨床皮癬菌可能成為持續局部感染的儲存器。
問：雷射指甲治療有什麼禁忌症嗎？
答：雖然雷射治療對大多數人來說是安全的，但以下族群禁用雷射治療：懷孕、曬傷皮膚、硬皮症、手腳曾患過皮膚癌的人、過去 12 個月內使用過 Accutane（異維甲酸）的人、任何患有嚴重皮膚病的人或任何有過皮膚問題的人。