Cosmetic Toenail Reconstruction

COSMETIC TOENAIL RECONSTRUCTION
Cosmetic toenail reconstruction is a fabulous procedure for those who are self-conscious about having fungal nails, or have had nail surgery where the end result was not cosmetically what you hoped for. The prosthetic nail should last anywhere between 6-8 weeks, enough time to get you through sandal season or a special occasion with confidence.
The reconstruction is a technique that is used by podiatrists, who have had the appropriate training, in which a prosthetic nail is created over the top of an existing nail. Your podiatrist will reduce your real nail in thickness and build up the prosthetic in layers over the top, the end result is a prosthesis which is extremely similar in appearance and texture to a healthy, natural nail.
Onychomycosis, or ‘fungal nails’ are a very common problem that can affect any nail, but are most likely to affect the toe nails due to the dark, warm and damp environment in footwear that allows the fungus to thrive. Fungal nails are actually a fungal infection of the skin on the nail bed and not within the nail itself. Due to this, most fungal nail infections will start off life as athlete’s foot (fungal infection of the skin to the feet). The fungal spores then get trapped under the nail where they thrive, digesting the nail and altering its appearance. This is one of the reasons why it is important to treat athlete’s foot when you first notice it.
However, it is worth noting that the prosthesis is a short term cover up for a fungal nail and not a cure. There are various ways to treat fungal nails, the main two being: topical treatments (painting treatments onto the nail), and oral treatments (taking a tablet) which can be prescribed by your GP. Whichever treatment route you choose it is important to stay vigilant, as treatment can take anywhere between 6 months to a year to completely eradicate the infection.
There are also other nail conditions which present in a similar way to fungal nails, so it is important to get a correct diagnosis of fungal nails from a podiatrist before starting treatment. The main ways the fungus affects the appearance of the nail is that they become thicker, crumbly and yellow/brown in appearance; which may cause some people embarrassment in showing their feet.
Emma Ashtonhurst – Family Footcare Centre