Patients experience fungal nail infections when toenail or skin underneath are exposed to a fungus. This is called onychomycosis in medical terms and affects over a million Australians each year.
How do you treat fungal nails?
- Topical solutions (creams) that are applied daily or weekly and often providing only limited success
- Medication in the form of a pill you can take is one of the most effective, however, this can have some side effects
- Laser Therapy, which has shown promising results, however, is expensive and some patients have reported it being painful
- Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy or PACT®, a safe, affordable and effective
What is PACT®?
Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy is a treatment whereby the nail is exposed to light, a special agent and oxygen to produce a reaction that results in killing the fungus whilst leaving all other healthy skin and nail alone. It is completely safe and pain-free.
What to do if you think you may have a fungal nail infection?
Book your appointment today with one of our experienced Podiatrists at Footsmart Podiatry. They will conduct a thorough inspection and investigation to determine if it is a fungal infection and develop a treatment plan that will work for you.
What to expect if you are scheduled for a PACT® Treatment?
- The Podiatrist will remove all the infected nail
- Apply a gel to the affected area and wait 10 minutes for it to absorb into the fungal cells
- Expose the treated area to the PACT® light, which targets the fungal cells and kills them
How many treatments should I need?
As every condition is unique, your Podiatrist will assess your specific requirements and provide you with a tailored treatment plan.
- A minor infection can be resolved in as little as 3 months, with 3 initial treatments in the first week, followed by one at the end of the first month and one final treatment after 3 months.
- Moderate infections can take a bit longer to resolve, and after the initial treatment above may require a further 4 monthly treatments
- Severe Infections may take up to 12 months of treatment
Associated Costs
Unfortunately no private health funds currently rebate back on PACT Fungal Nail Therapy, nor is it applicable under any Medicare scheme (EPC Program). The costs associated with PACT are listed below.
| Consultation | Item Number | Price |
|---|
| PACT – one toe . | N/A | $37.00 |
| PACT – additional toe . | N/A | $33.00 |
For more information or to discuss your condition and options with one of our team,
go to our Contact Us page or call us on 5441 4822
