We can help you Cure
Nail Treatment
Here at the Bay Area Fungal Nail Clinic we provide a treatment protocol specific to each patient and the degree of infection present. Often, topical medications along with laser treatment are enough to cure all but the more stubborn infections. The topical medications we prescribe are the latest, most effective options available, and we have pharmacies that work with us to offer them at an affordable price.
Topical Medications:
Mild
Mild infections can often be resolved with topical medications alone, but by adding one to three laser treatment sessions over the recommended 12-month period of topical medication use we can help ensure you achieve the results you desire.
Moderate
Moderate infections are rarely resolved with the use of topical medications alone. The addition of monthly laser sessions will greatly increase the odds of successful treatment. The number of laser sessions required will vary for each person depending on the severity of infection, their age, overall health, and how quickly their nails respond to treatment.
Our laser is painless, and any warmth or slight discomfort you may feel is over the moment we’re done. As part of the laser treatment process, your nails will also be smoothed down to a more normal appearance, providing not only an immediate cosmetic improvement, but also more effective results from the topical medication by allowing the medication to penetrate down deeper into the nails, where it’s needed most.
Severe
In severe cases, where the infection has gone untreated for years, Dr. Dupont may suggest a more proactive approach, which can include the complete, but temporary, removal of the most severely infected nails. By removing the nail we are able to remove the majority of the infection, thereby making complete eradication substantially easier to achieve. Temporarily removing the nail is usually not enough on its own to cure the infection. However, when combined with the application of the newest, most effective topical medications while the new nail regrows, you will be left with feet that you no longer want to hide. Nail removal is also the fastest way to a cosmetic improvement, with the nail beginning to appear normal in as little as two to three months.
Having a severely infected nail removed may sound like a painful process, but with eight years of experience and thousands of nail procedures performed, Dr. Dupont will make it a fast and nearly painless process.
The use of oral antifungal medications, like Lamisil (terbinafine), are generally avoided when possible. This is reserved only for the most severe fungal infections due to the potential side effects of the oral medications, including liver damage. Topical medications and laser treatment are a much safer option and do not require the liver function testing commonly recommended with the use of oral antifungal medications.
How to Prevent?
Our office can also provide you with tips to avoid a recurrence of the infection, including options to assist with disinfecting your shoes and socks.