You’ve tried the pharmacy drops. Maybe a few home remedies. The nail looks a bit better for a while, then goes back to being thick and discoloured.
If you have a stubborn fungal nail infection (onychomycosis), it’s time to call in the professionals. Our skilled podiatrists can assess the nail and surrounding skin and develop an evidence-based treatment plan, which may include laser treatment for fungal nails.
A type of fungi called a dermatophyte can get under your nail and cause a fungal nail infection.
Common signs of a fungal nail infection include:
You’re at a higher risk of developing a fungal nail infection if you are over 60, smoke, or have certain underlying health conditions that affect circulation or immune function, such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Recurring nail trauma can also increase risk.
Fungal nail infections can look like other conditions, and other conditions can look like fungal nails. Starting treatment without a clinical assessment risks spending time and money on the wrong approach.
A full podiatry assessment for fungal nails includes examining the nail and surrounding skin, reviewing your history and identifying contributing factors, such as footwear, activity level, circulation or any underlying health conditions. Those factors may be relevant to both treatment and reducing the risk of recurrence.
Our Brisbane podiatry team provides nail fungus treatment and ongoing nail care for people dealing with:
There is no instant nail fungus cure. Fungal nail treatment typically requires a sustained approach. Recurrence rates of 10% to 53% have been reported across treatment methods, which is why a tailored plan is often needed, built around the extent of infection, the condition of the nail and skin, and your goals.
At Brisbane Foot and Orthotics, your fungal nails treatment may include a combination of:
applied directly to the nail and surrounding skin
often on an ongoing basis, where we trim, thin, or remove infected parts of the nail to help topical treatments do their work and to improve your comfort
for oral antifungal therapy to address more extensive infections.
When combined with topical antifungal agents, laser treatment may produce better outcomes than either approach used in isolation and is linked to higher patient satisfaction.
Brisbane Foot & Orthotics offers laser therapy as part of fungal nail management. We discuss what laser therapy may offer in your specific case as part of the assessment process.
Treating an active infection can take sustained effort. Once it’s gone, you’re usually keen to reduce the risk of it returning. That can also take sustained effort, as the risk of recurrence is quite high.
Practical steps to prevent nail fungus from returning include:
At Brisbane Foot & Orthotics, we provide personalised guidance on footwear, hygiene and ongoing care as part of every Brisbane fungal nails treatment plan.
You’ll find Brisbane Foot and Orthotics in Daisy Hill, Eight Mile Plains and North Lakes. If you’ve noticed changes to your nails or have been dealing with a fungal infection that keeps returning, a clinical assessment is the right starting point.
Possibly something else, which is exactly why we assess before recommending treatment. Nail trauma, psoriasis and other conditions can produce changes that look very similar to onychomycosis. A clinical assessment is the only reliable way to know what you’re actually dealing with.
You can, but over-the-counter products are typically less concentrated than prescription-grade options and are most effective for mild, early infections. If the nail has been changing for some time, or if previous treatments haven’t worked, a more structured approach is likely to produce better results.
Longer than most people expect, because nails grow slowly. Toenails in particular can take six to twelve months to grow out fully, so improvement is gradual. This is one reason consistency with treatment and follow-up matters.
Laser therapy uses targeted light energy to penetrate the nail plate and act on the fungal infection below. It is non-invasive and performed in-clinic. We discuss whether it is appropriate for your situation as part of the assessment.
It can, which is why we include practical guidance on reducing reinfection risk as part of every treatment plan.
No referral is required. You can book directly with Brisbane Foot & Orthotics.
