Before and After Your Toenail Fungus Removal Visit
Patients should be aware of our clinic’s guidelines for before and after toenail fungus removal. While laser treatment is the best toenail fungus removal option, you will see optimal results if you are proactive in fighting the cause before and after toenail fungus removal.
After your visit, you will need to follow the recommended aftercare measures as they will prevent the infection from recurring. However, there are some measures you need to adopt before removal of toenail fungus.
Guidelines for both before and after toenail fungus removal treatment:
- Clip your toenails as short as is comfortable. This will help in removing part of the infected nail pharmaciepourhomme.fr
- Clean and exfoliate your feet and toes. When you remove the dead skin cells, you will remove fungus living in the dead skin tissue.
- Remove all traces of nail polish from your toenails including clear polish. The laser will have a harder time penetrating through nail polish and you will not get the desired results from the treatment.
- Bring a pair of new socks with you to the appointment. After your foot has been treated, it is best to put on a pair of new socks that are not infected with any trace of fungus. We suggest wearing cotton socks, as they have the ability to wick away moisture, keeping your feet dry and preventing re-infection.
What to Do After Your Laser Toenail Fungus Removal Visit
You will be given guidelines to follow both before and after toenail fungus removal. Make sure you follow these instructions. While we make all efforts to ensure our laser treatment kills fungus, following the post-treatment care is imperative for preventing re-infection. We will take all necessary steps to eliminate the fungus present under your nail but after, you must take steps to prevent it from returning.
Here are some post-treatment instructions that you should follow carefully to prevent the infection from returning:
Normal Activities:
You can return to normal activities immediately after the fungus removal treatment. You will be able to walk, swim, hike, jog or do any other daily activity right after the treatment. While there could be some amount of redness around the treated toenail, it will disappear on its own within 24 to 48 hours.
Personal Hygiene:
Make it a point to thoroughly wash and dry your feet every day. Don’t forget to dry between your toes.
Medication:
Apply an anti-fungal spray to your foot before and after toenail fungus removal. Do not forget the area around the nail and between the toes. Use as directed by the specialist, or twice a day for about two weeks and then once a day. The spray you purchase should have any of the following active ingredients:
- Clotrimazole 1%
- Tolnaftate 1%
- Miconazole 1%
- Butenafine 1%
- Terbinafine 1%
Footwear:
Make sure you wash all your old socks in bleach to remove all traces of the fungus from your socks. Alternatively, you can invest in new cotton socks. If you are in a wet public place, such as indoor swimming pool, hotel bathrooms or locker room, wear sandals or flip-flops to reduce chances of re-infection.
Maintaining Shoes:
Always keep your shoes dry. Fungus proliferates in moist and warm environments. So make certain your shoes are made from breathable material and are not too tight. Also, use an anti-fungal spray or powder, like Laminal, Lotrimin, or Tinactin to minimize the chances of fungal growth. We also advocate using SteriShoe, a device that emits UV rays into the shoe. It will sterilize your shoes for about 45 minutes, destroying fungus and odor-causing bacteria.
Toenail-Clipping:
Sterilize your nail file and clippers by boiling them for 30 minutes in water or submerging them in Isopropyl Alcohol or diluted bleach. When visiting nail salons, make sure the clippers and file are properly cleaned. Keep your nails short, as long nails can break and offer fungi easy access to your nail bed.
Instructions Before and After Toenail Fungus Removal
Following these instructions before and after toenail fungus removal visit will minimize the chances of re-infecting your toenails.
If you have any questions before and after toenail fungus removal, please contact our Houston toenail fungus removal staff at (281) 794-7944.