Quick, painless, in-office therapy effectively kills underlying fungus.
During the 36 years that Cliff* worked as a photojournalist, he bounced around the globe like a pinball more than 100 times. Along the way, his camera has captured images of everything from triumph to tragedy.
“I was there when the Berlin Wall came down, but I was also there when the Space Shuttle Challenger came down,” Cliff reports. “In and around all that, I’ve seen things and been to places that most people can only dream of.”
Cliff, 68, hasn’t put his camera down, but his days of traveling the globe are all but over. He hasn’t boarded a plane since he retired three years ago and settled down in Sarasota, where he’s content to bury his feet in the sand each day and leave them there.
Long before settling in Florida, Cliff had good reason to bury his feet in the sand as he found himself fighting a losing battle with toenail fungus. At first, the fungus was present only in his right big toe. Over time, it spread to all 10 toes.
“It didn’t hurt or keep me from doing anything, but my toes looked awful,” Cliff laments. “Here I am in Florida, where it’s warm and I wanted to wear sandals, but my feet looked terrible in them. I wanted to do something about it.”
Acting on a suggestion from his wife, Cliff visited Sarasota Foot and Ankle Center, the practice of Dawn Chiu, DPM, AACFAS, who has adopted PinPointe™ FootLaser® therapy as her “weapon of choice” in the battle against toenail fungus.
“I had been to other doctors who put me on pills, but they didn’t work,” Cliff reports. “My wife heard about the laser treatment Dr. Chiu has so I figured I’d give it a try.”
PinPointe FootLaser therapy is a quick, easy, painless in-office treatment that effectively kills the underlying fungus without side effects and does not require a blood test beforehand.
“It lasts only a few minutes, and during that time the laser is passed over the nail in a crisscross pattern to ensure full coverage,” Dr. Chiu explains. “Patients usually feel a warmth on their toe during the treatment, but there is no pain.”
Afterward, patients can return to normal activities immediately. When combined with topical ointments, the laser therapy has an 80 percent success rate, according to Dr. Chiu, who counts Cliff among her successes.
“I went in for a treatment once every quarter, and little by little my toenails grew out with no fungus,” Cliff describes. “The treatment worked.
“It was better than pills the other doctors gave me, where you have to worry about the effects on your liver and other organs. That’s not the case with the laser treatment. It’s quick and easy, and all you have to do is put a little ointment on your toes. That’s it.
“I like that Dr. Chiu is very prompt. I never waited more than about five minutes for my appointments. She also explains everything she’s doing and how long it will take for the treatment to work, which I like. I highly recommend her.”
