For preventing re-infections, aftercare practices are essential, and some steps need to be practiced to get the maximum benefits before your appointments.
Below given are some tips to prepare your nail for laser treatment:
- Clean your toes and exfoliate feet to take off dead skin that may be nurturing fungus.
- Clip your nails before the appointment. This will allow you to clear the infected nail as much as possible.
- Ensure to remove nail polish before treatment as laser energy thoroughly cannot travel through nail polish. Even remove the clear nail polish to achieve the best results.
- Wear new socks after the appointment because you do not want to wear a sock that may have fungus on your treated foot. Best is to wear new cotton socks as it has moisture-wicking properties.
These steps will ensure the best treatment results and also minimizes the chance of a re-infection.
Once you are restful on the treatment table in the room, a picture of your toes will be clicked to track the progress further. You will get prepared for the laser treatment, and thus a pair of safety goggles will be handed to you.
The technician will conduct the two full passes on the five toenails of the right foot, followed by the same on the left foot. You will feel a slight heat sensation on the nail; however, some patients don’t even feel anything.
As all ten toes will be treated, a technician will finish the process by applying an antifungal topical. From there, you can go with a normal routine once the procedure completes.
Detailed instructions will be discussed with you after a laser toenail fungus treatment by our laser specialist.
It is vital to practice the aftercare instructions carefully even though we have a highly effective laser procedure that kills fungus, but as always, a fungal re-infection is possible. Although we will remove the fungus underneath your nails, it depends on you to prevent its return by following the aftercare rules.
- Apply an antifungal spray that contains any of the following active ingredients such as butenafine 1%, miconazole 2%, terbinafine 1%, Tolnaftate 1%, Clotrimazole 1%, or Undecylenic acid 5%. Spray it on the top of the feet. You must apply it twice a day but remember that your feet must be clean and dry.
- Also, spray it inside your shoes at the end of the day. You can also use Lysol or use an ultraviolet shoe sterilizer as directed.
- SteriShoe is one of the best products we have found that can kill fungus and bacteria. This is a device that shines a sterilizing ultraviolet light for 45 minutes into your shoes, usually overnight.
- Using this SteriShoe is an effective method to ensure that your shoes will not re-infect your toes. SteriShoe will be operated when you visit our office, and you can also purchase the product at your appointment.
- Avoid wearing the same shoes every day; also, you must spray the antifungal product every time you wear shoes and clean tubs/showers with bleach.
- Use an antifungal spray or antifungal powder with baking soda if your feet sweat a lot.
- You must also buy new nail files and clippers as there is a possibility that your current pair is infected. Nail care instruments made of metal require cleaning. You can use boiling water and diluted bleach.
- Wash fabrics like socks, bedding, etc. with hot soapy water as these directly come in contact with your feet. You can also use cloth bleach for this purpose. Daily change bed linens or wear clean socks to bed each night.
- Always wear shoes when possible, especially in hotel rooms, public places, gyms, showers, and indoor swimming pools or even at home.
- Do not visit the nail salons that don’t use clean instruments, and you must use disposable liners for a pedicure.
- Also, dispose of all nail polishes as they might be infected
- Daily wash your feet and toes. Dry in between the toes thoroughly.
Your habits and actions will allow you to live a fungus-free life. After the treatment, you can resume all the normal activities immediately. The procedure is designed such that you can run, walk, swim, hike, or carry on any activity on the same day.
You may notice slight redness in the area around the toenail, but don’t worry as it will go away in 24-48 hours. The procedure is painless, and you can comfortably go through the procedure.
