FAQs

Clear Nail Laser Clinics are Australia and New Zealand’s only specialist clinic dedicated to treating nail fungus using cold laser. Accordingly, we’ve invested in being the best at treating it. Proven cold laser equipment and development of best practice pre and post treatment protocols mean we go further than any other clinic to treat the condition and our record reflects this

The laser machine used by Clear Nail Laser Clinics has had an 84% success treating a range of fungus within 48 weeks. We are unaware of any other treatment with this level of success

Nail fungus or Onychomycosis is common condition. Around 10% of the population experiences this infection at least once in their lifetime. It’s prevalent among men and women and is particularly common among older people. It occurs far more frequently on toenails than fingernails. The treatment for fingernails is similar, so there are no differences in the treatment process.

There are many factors which can result in fungal nail infection. Some of the most prominent are listed below:

• Nail trauma caused by impact, or wearing the wrong gloves or shoes
• Biting, or other nail damage including ingrown toenails
• Smoking
• Poor hygiene, such as using non-sterilised nail clippers or wearing damp shoes
• Medical conditions such as a weak immune system, diabetes, among others

Nail fungus should be treated as soon as possible. It’s cosmetically unattractive and non-treatment can cause the nail to blacken, become brittle and in severe cases, it can become malodorous. Nail fungus can adversely affect your self esteem and may impact your relationships. Furthermore, it can be really painful, particularly if the nail is ingrown.

This depends on how fast your nails grow and the extent of infection, however most nails grow ~4mm every 3 months, so you should see largely clear nails within 4-6 months. At this stage we usually do a check-in to ensure the new nail growth is fungus free

After a week of boosting your immune system and weakening the fungus, your body is ready to be supported again in its fight against the fungus and the fungus can again be weakened to ensure success. More frequent treatments may compromise the rhythm of the body overcoming the fungus.

The first sign will be the change in colour and texture of the nail. There might be some yellow- brown discolouration of the nail (it might only be on the tip or a specific area). The skin around the nail might also start flaking. If left untreated, the nail might thicken as well. If you have any of these signs, you should visit a specialised nail fungus clinic, where an accurate diagnosis can be conducted

Nail fungus is a fairly common condition and it’s better to follow certain procedures to prevent the likelihood of getting the infection or reinfection. Here are some things you can do:

• Use sterilized nail cutting equipment and avoid sharing equipment with others
• Maintain basic nail hygiene. Keep nails trimmed and wash hands and feet regularly
• Be careful using public areas like change rooms, public restrooms, and swimming pools
• Do not wear damp socks or shoes or gloves. Give your toes time to breath
• If you have a medical condition which increases the likelihood of a nail fungal infection, apply antifungal cream regularly
• Be aware of the symptoms of athlete’s foot and fungal infection so you can treat it early

• We use two lasers simultaneously and each plays a separate role and operates at a different frequency to impact in a different way. The two frequencies are 405nm and 635 nm.
• 405 nm laser beam – This beam damages the fungal pathogen, which either kills or weakens the pathogen’s immune defenses. ie. This laser breaks down the cell walls of the fungus and weakens it making it easier for your body to naturally overcome it
• 635 nm laser beam – This beam increases blood flow and improves your immune system’s response to attack the weakened pathogen. ie. This laser penetrates below the nail bed and stimulates the cells and blood flow to encourage your body’s own immune system to overcome the nail fungus.The laser treatment lasts for 12 minutes per foot.

You may feel a slight tingling sensation in your toes after the treatment due to the stimulation of the blood vessels in your toes, however the treatment is pain free and there are no side effects

It’s highly likely you’ll be frustrated by the lack of progress using topical treatments. Creams and other natural solutions have difficulty penetrating the nail bed (due to the thickness of our nails) and are therefore unable to effectively treat nail fungus. Hot laser treatments essentially attempt to burn the fungus, rather than working with the body’s natural immune system response. Hot lasers are typically painful and have a far lower rate of success due to their pinpoint nature

We expect nail fungus on your feet and hands will be killed by the combination of the laser, post-treatment steps and your body’s natural immune system response, therefore the likelihood of reinfection is low.