A REVOLUTIONARY treatment to kick a growing health issue which affects thousands of people across the South-West into touch has arrived in Tavistock.

The Fitzgerald Clinic, in Plymouth Road, is the first in the region to offer a revolutionary laser treatment for fungal nail infections, which affect up to eight out of every 100 people nationally every year. Not only do nails and feet look unsightly, the infection can worsen if untreated – leading to pain and immobility.

A specialist in cosmetic medicine, Doctor Melissa Fitzgerald said: “It is often a case of out of sight, out of mind when it comes to foot health, but more and more people are suffering from fungal nail infections and find themselves having to use treatments such as paints or oral tablets for weeks or months on end to get rid of them.

"These treatments can have significant side effects, and unfortunately do not work for over 50% of sufferers. In recent years, conventional lasers have been used with some success, but these treatments are costly and painful. Now there is a new technology that allows us to treat infection quickly using a special “Cold Laser” – curing the infection in just a month with no side effects whatsoever.”

The Lunula Laser treatment is a first for the South West and Dr Fitzgerald thinks it will revolutionise treatments for what many see as just a cosmetic issue. But it is not.

She added: “Research shows that fungal nail infection causes 75% of sufferers to be embarrassed about their feet and nearly half are in pain every day with it. For 40% there is also a restriction in mobility. This is so much more than just about the appearance of the feet, although the emotional impact of not being able to wear the shoes you really want and being ashamed to let people see your feet should not be underestimated.”

And the problem, she says is worse for those suffering from diabetes.

“National Institute for Health research showed a few years ago that over one third of people with diabetes are affected by onychomycosis (fungal nail infection) and its consequences. If left untreated in these individuals, onychomycosis may lead to nail bed ulceration, cellulitis and death of surrounding tissue.

Ulceration of surrounding skin may go unnoticed and ultimately lead to more complex foot ulcers as well as making the foot more susceptible to bacterial infections,” said Dr Fitzgerald, who trained in heart and lung transplantation in London before deciding to specialise in cosmetic medicine in Tavistock.

The Lunula Laser is a revolutionary cold low-level laser therapy that stimulates the immune system and aims to treat infected nails in only four sessions. Dr Fitzgerald will take samples of the nail before and after treatment to confirm the diagnosis and determine whether the bug has been eradicated after treatment.

The cost for four treatments is £499 – and treatments last 12 minutes per foot or hand. The treatment sessions are given a week apart. As part of the cost, if the fungal infection is still there after the four sessions, four extra sessions will be offered free of charge.

“Topical and oral treatments are only effective in about 30-50% of cases, and people need to apply lotions or take tablets for months. In contrast, ongoing research with the Lunula laser has shown a 99% cure rate with 4 treatments. This is a hugely exciting development in the treatment of this widely prevalent and distressing condition.”