Fungal toenail infections and PACT treatment

Fungal toenails occur when fungus infects the nail plate or skin under the nail plate. It is medically referred to as onychomycosis and is estimated to affect up to 1.6 million Australians.

Treatment can be frustrating for patients with daily or weekly topical solutions only providing limited success. Oral medication is most effective but it can have some nasty side effects including liver damage. Laser therapy is a recent popular treatment that has shown reasonable success but it can be expensive and some people find it a painful experience.

Finally now at Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics, Camberwell there is a safe and effective alternative for nail fungus treatment ……….Photodynamic Therapy.

What is PACT nail fungus therapy?

PACT® is an abbreviation for the scientific term Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy. This revolutionary method of treatment uses light to effectively kill off bacteria, viruses and fungi on skin surfaces and toenails!

PACT nail fungus treatment in Camberwell, Melbourne

How does PACT work?

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the interaction of light with a photosensitive agent and oxygen to produce an energy transfer and chemical reaction. This local chemical reaction induces fungal cell death without affecting surrounding tissue making it 100% safe!

The importance of correct diagnosis of fungal nail infections

The podiatrists at our Melbourne clinic will firstly assess your toenails and confirm diagnosis of a nail fungus infection. There are a lot of other conditions that can mimic nail fungus and also cause damage to your toenails so correct diagnosis is important. If there is any doubt then our podiatrists may take a clipping of the nail for referral to pathology to 100% confirm a fungal infection.

The severity of your nail fungus infection will then be graded using the onychomycosis severity index (OSI). Our podiatrists will then discuss the best nail fungus treatment options available. If PACT is indicated our podiatrists will formulate a treatment plan and let you know how many treatments you may require.

nail fungus treatment Camberwell Melbourne

What does fungal nail treatment with PACT involve?

A PACT nail fungus treatment session at our podiatry clinic located in Camberwell in Melbourne’s Inner East involves the following:

  • Our Melbourne podiatrists will firstly debride and remove all of the infected fungal nail.
  • A special PACT nail fungus gel is then applied to the nail and left to absorb for 10 minutes. This gel stains the fungal cells making them sensitive to the light emitted by the scientifically tested PACT LED lamp.
  • The PACT LED light is applied for 9.5 minutes penetrating the nail and destroying the fungal cells.
PACT treatment for fungal toenails in Camberwell, Melbourne

How many PACT treatments are required for successful treatment?

The number of PACT treatments required will depend on the severity of fungal infection. As a guide we recommend:

  • 3 x initial treatments in a week
  • 1 x 1 month treatment review
  • 1 x 3 month repeat treatment

Approximately 5 total treatments and a 3 month treatment duration.

NB. Less or more treatments may be required depending on severity of infection and success rate. You can opt out of PACT treatment sessions at any stage and the podiatrist will advise you to do so if they feel that your nails are not improving with the treatment.

  • 3 x initial treatments in a week
  • 1 x 1 month treatment review
  • 5 x 1 month repeat treatments

Approximately 9 total treatments and a 6 month treatment duration.

NB. Less or more treatments may be required depending on severity of infection and success rate. You can opt out of PACT treatment sessions at any stage and the podiatrist will advise you to do so if they feel that your nails are not improving with the treatment.

  • 3 x initial treatments in a week
  • 1 x 2 week treatment review
  • 11 x 1 month repeat treatments

Approximately 12 total treatments and a 12 month duration.

NB. In severe infections the podiatrist may get you to use a 40% urea ointment on the nails for 2 weeks before PACT treatment commences to help with fungal nail debridement.

Less or more treatments may be required depending on severity of infection and success rate. In some severe cases after cure 6 monthly treatments may be required for prophylaxis.

You can opt out of PACT treatment sessions at any stage and the podiatrist will advise you to do so if they feel that your nails are not improving with the treatment.

PACT FAQ

This can be hard to estimate as fungal toenail infections are often complex and each case is individual. Mild to moderate infections are more easily treated with PACT whilst severe infections are always very hard to treat. Severe infections are hard to treat no matter what the treatment (even with oral tablets) as there are often external factors that continually encourage fungal growth, hence why no treatment is 100% successful.

Overall we clinically estimate that PACT therapy is comparable in its success to other laser treatments and this is approximately 60 – 70%. In comparison topical solutions generally only have a 30% success rate whilst oral tablets are reported to have a success rate of 70%.

PACT nail fungus therapy is 100% safe with no known contra-indications, making it a great treatment alternative to oral medication. Repeated exposure to the light does not produce any adverse effects. Following a PACT therapy treatment session the nail will retain a blue discolouration. This will vanish soon after treatment but in rare cases may remain for up to one week.

PACT nail fungus treatment is not expensive. Compared to other laser treatments PACT is very reasonably priced. Treatment costs are charged as standard consultations plus a small additional fee to cover costs for the PACT, currently an additional $30 on top of the consultation fee.

Exact costs depends on the number of fungal nails to be treated and the length of the consultation. Our clinic utilises 2 PACT lights so we can save you time and money. Treatment times with 2 PACT lights are as follows:

  • 1-2 nails = 30 minute consult
  • 3-4 nails = 45 minute consult
  • 5-10 nails =  60 minute consult
For all nail fungus treatment including PACT please make an initial appointment with one or our Melbourne podiatrists. They will firstly assess and diagnose your toenails to see if your nails are suitable for PACT nail fungus therapy. If your nails are suitable they will explain the treatment process in detail, structure your treatment plan and schedule your PACT nail treatments.

NB: There are numerous other causes that may result in nails that are similar to fungal toenails. These will be diagnosed on initial assessment by your podiatrist. PACT therapy will not treat or cure these nails.

Why choose Melbourne Podiatrists for PACT nail fungus treatment?

  • Our Melbourne podiatrists know what causes fungal toenails and know which treatments have the best success rate for each individual situation.
  • All of our podiatrists are highly experienced with PACT nail fungus therapy and know the keys to obtaining the best clinical results.
  • PACT is a safe and effective treatment for fungal toenails, making it a great alternative to oral medication.
  • PACT is a better cost alternative for nail fungus treatment when compared to other expensive laser treatments.
  • Unlike other podiatry clinics we have invested in two PACT lamps, meaning we can treat multiple nails at once saving you time and money.
nail fungus treatment in Camberwell, Melbourne
Contact a podiatrist in Camberwell, Melbourne

Treat your fungal toenails today with PACT!

Have you tried topical solutions on your fungal nails without success? Have you had nasty side effects to oral medication? If so then your fungal nails can benefit from PACT nail fungus therapy at our Melbourne podiatry clinic.

For accurate diagnosis of fungal nails and the best nail fungus treatment options make an appointment with one of our podiatrists today.