Do Laser Treatments For Fungal Toenails Work?

The New York Times recently published an article regarding the efficacy of laser treatments for fungal toenails. They came to the conclusion that there is little evidence these treatments work.

They cited a study published last year in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology where researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that laser treatments “provided no improvements in patients with toenail fungus, even after five sessions.”

Dr. Andrea Bershaw, the director of the nail procedure clinic at the Minneapolis VA Heath Care Systems says, “I think we want it to work, but the evidence just isn’t quite there yet. The studies have shown efficacy have been small, they haven’t been randomized controlled trials, and most of them have been funded by the actual laser companies themselves.”

For our podiatrists here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers, we would disagree with the statements above. The laser treatment we use for toenail fungus is the Noveon Podiatric Laser, different than other laser options. This particular laser treatment uses dual frequency wavelengths, two per toe,  that penetrates deep into the tissue surface. Unlike laser systems that use hand-held wands, our machine prevents human error by attaching laser pods to the toe.

Some patients are unable to take oral medications, and have seen little improvement with the topical medication alone. Laser treatment for toenail fungus is another option for those who have fungal nail conditions. It is important to remember that this particular treatment requires several visits, and results will be seen when the nail begins to grow out.

There are a wide variety of responses depending on equipment. We have seen favorable results, comparable to oral medication, with this dual frequency laser treatment, especially with patients who follow our at-home instructions and care guidelines. Long-term results are dependent on long-term care, with follow-up treatment of topical ointment. As with any treatment regimen, best results are seen when the patient follows their podiatrist’s recommendations to the T.

Reference: New York Times. 

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Lindsay Lohan Suffering From Athlete's Foot

Even celebrities have stinky feet!
Lindsay Lohan, recently out of rehab, has come down with an acute case of athlete's foot. Friends of the 27 year old actress say that this is nothing new- she has had this condition in the past!
The "Mean Girls" star, whose eight part documentary premiered on the Oprah Winfrey Network on March 9th, admitted that her feet are the most embarrassing part of her body.
"Lilo's horrified by her athlete's foot," revealed a friend. "She has no idea where she caught it because she's always so careful in communal bathrooms and spas. But she's suffered smelly feet ever since she was a teenager, and it's been a hugely embarrassing cross to bear.
"Last year she refused to dine at a traditional Japanese restaurant in New York because she had to take her shoes off."
Lohan has been plagued by athlete's foot in the past, most recently in 2010 when she was photographed leaving a friend's house in L.A. with a cloud of foot powder billowing out of her shoes.
"It's a recurring issue for her, but after that incident she doesn't use so much foot powder anymore," said another source. "Lilo's big enough to joke about it, though.
"Last month, she almost killed a private house party after taking off her shoes. She quickly put them back on, saying, 'Oh, did I put my foot in it again?'"
Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, is a skin disease caused by a fungus that usually occurs between the toes. The fungus attacks the feet because shoes create a warm, dark, and humid environment that encourages fungus growth. Warm, damp areas around swimming pools, showers, and locker rooms are also breeding grounds for fungi.
Symptoms of athlete's foot include drying skin, scaling, itching, inflammation, and blisters between and on the toes. Athlete's foot can spread to the soles of the feet and to the toenails as well as other parts of the body, which is why timely treatment is so important.
You can prevent athlete's foot by:

• Not walking barefoot, particularly in public pools and locker rooms.
• Reducing foot perspiration by using talcum powder.
• Wearing light and airy shoes.
• Wearing socks that keep your feet dry, and changing them frequently if you perspire heavily.

While fungicidal and fungistatic chemicals are usually used to treat athlete's foot problems, they often fail to contact the fungi in the lower layers of skin. For persistent athlete's foot, a prescription topical or oral antifungal drug may be needed.
Reference: National Enquirer
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Sam & Cat Star Breaks Toes

Sam & Cat star Ariana Grande did not have a good start to her week.
The 20 year old actress sent a text message to her manager Scooter Braun on Monday morning to tell him about the crazy night she had just had.
Sunday night Grande had a wacky party that involved her slipping in her dog's pee and slamming into a wall, breaking three of her toes.
Braun shared the story on Instagram: "Had a party last night and in front of a lot of people I slipped on a huge surprise pile of Ophelia piss, slammed into a wall and broke 3 toes. have a great day."
Household injuries like Grande's are quite common and certainly nothing to be embarrassed about. We could probably write a book about the different ways people have broken toes.
Grande sustained a traumatic or acute fracture which is caused by direct impact or force, such as stubbing your toe (or slamming into the wall). Traumatic fractures can be displaced or non-displaced. If the fracture is displaced, the bone is broken in such a way that it has changed position.
Signs and symptoms of this type of fracture include:

• You may hear a sound at the time of the break.
• "Pinpoint pain" (pain at the place of impact) at the time the fracture occurs and perhaps a few hours later, but often the pain goes away after several hours.
• Crooked or abnormal appearance of the toe.
• Bruising and swelling the next day.
• It is not true that "if you can walk on it, it's not broken". Evaluation by a podiatrist is always recommended.

It is an old wives tale that "the doctor can't do anything for a broken bone in the foot." This is usually not true. In fact, if a fractured toe is not treated properly, serious complications may occur. For example:

• A deformity in the bony architecture which may limit the ability to move the foot or cause difficulty in fitting shoes.
• Arthritis, which may be caused by a fracture in a joint (the juncture where two bones meet), or may be a result of angular deformities that develop when a displaced fracture is severe or hasn't been properly corrected.
• Chronic pain and deformity.
• Non-union, or failure to heal, can lead to subsequent surgery or chronic pain.

Treatment of toe fractures depends on the break itself and may include these options:

• Rest. Sometimes rest is all that is needed to treat a traumatic fracture of the toe.
• Splinting. The toe may be fitted with a splint to keep it in a fixed position.
• Rigid or stiff-soled shoe. Wearing a stiff-soled shoe protects the toe and helps keep it properly positioned.
• "Buddy taping" the fractured toe to another toe is sometimes appropriate, but in other cases may be harmful. 
• Surgery. If the break is badly displaced or if the joint is affected, surgery may be necessary. Surgery often involves the use of fixation devices, such as pins. 

Reference: Perez Hilton
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Bieber Unable to Walk the Line Because of Foot?

So what reason does Justin Bieber give now for his wonky walking during a sobriety test in Florida on January 23rd?
A hairline fracture in his right foot.
A summary of Miami Beach police documents says that Bieber told officers following his arrest in January he injured his foot skateboarding three months ago. The officer writing the report also commented that Bieber appeared to sway and have leg tremors during one of the tests, wincing in pain. 
The report noted that, "He appeared to have great difficulty," but adds that the injury to his foot was never brought up or noticed during the sobriety test. 
Biieber has pleaded not guilty to the charges of during under the influence and other charges. He told officers that he was not drag racing in a rented Lamborghini with R&B singer Khalil Amir Sharieff, who was driving a Ferrari when they were stopped. Bieber questioned why he was arrested in the first place, arguing with police officers and making condescending remarks. 
The police reports states that Bieber was "agitated and condescending", using profanity when brought to the police station. 
"He then got upset and said 'I'm 19 years old. I'm just out having a good time,'", Bieber said. He then asked police, "What were you doing when you were 19?"
The officer in charge replied that he was not driving a Lamborghini at that age. 
"Yeah, well, I bet you didn't have millions of dollars in your bank account either," Bieber snidely replied. 
To us, it looks like Bieber is using any excuse to get out the charges he faces. A hairline fracture in your foot would not make you sway or be unable to "walk the line". He was likely under the influence, either of drugs or alcohol, and therefore unable to walk a straight line. Normally, a hairline fracture would heal in fewer than three months, unless no treatment had been sought. But since Bieber knew he had a hairline fracture, he must have sought medical treatment. 
Our verdict: tell the truth and 'fess up. 
Reference: MSN
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Actor Timothy West Breaks Ankle

Veteran British actor Timothy West is confined to a wheelchair while he recovers from a broken ankle. 
The Day of the Jackal star received the injury in a fall and underwent an operation to repair the damage. 
His ankle was set in plaster and the actor has been using crutches and a wheelchair to get around.
Wst, 79, was concerned the injury would cost him his new job on the U.K. soap opera EastEnders, and was relieved when the TV bosses assured him they would accommodate his injury. 
Speaking on the U.K. TV show The Alan Titchmarsh Show, West said, "As you can see I'm on crutches which is not my permanent state- employers please note- I just happened to fall over and break my ankle... I had to... ring up the EastEnders people and say, 'Look, I've broken my ankle. I'm terribly sorry.' They said, 'Oh no, that's perfectly alright... we'll write that in.' I said, 'No, you don't understand- I've had an operation, I'm in plaster.' (They said) 'That's alright that doesn't bother us.' (I said) 'I have to move about in a wheelchair'- 'Alright we can get you a wheelchair'- they were terrific."
Reference: Contact Music
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Kit Harington Vows Says He'll Take Fewer Risks

Game of Thrones and Pompeii start Kit Harington says he'll take fewer risks after a drunken incident caused him to break his ankle last year. 
Harington spent months in a cast after breaking his ankle trying to get into his own home after a night partying in London. 
The injury meant an inconvenience for Game of Thrones producers, who had to juggle his schedule. A body double was required to play his character, Jon Snow, in several scenes. 
"As it happened I was pissed and I was trying to climb through a window and that's all over and done with now. I have to be more careful now," Harington told Confidential, while in Sydney to promote his new film Pompeii.
"I think you get one strike and you are out with certain injuries. I'm much more careful."
Being famous has also affected other areas of Harington's life. 
"I used to play a lot of rugby when I was younger and I stopped all that because of acting and not wanting to get injured."
While this incident happened more than a year ago, Harington has continued to keep his vow and be more careful.  Wise words, children. Wise words. 
Reference: Daily Telegraph
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Paint My Nails: A History of Nail Polish

Americans are in love with nail polish, manicures, and pedicures. We fork over anywhere from $15 to $35 for our favorite color, design, and style weekly. For many women getting a weekly manicure or pedicure is a status symbol. 
Our love affair with getting our nails done however, is not a new phenomenon. Nail polish originated in China back to 3000 BC and was initially used by the ruling class to distinguish themselves from the general population. There are reports of several common people who were caught with nail polish being publicly executed. In 600 BC during the Zhou Dynasty, the preferred colors were silver and gold, a symbol of power and wealth, but red and black eventually replaced these as the royal's favorite shades. During the Ming Dynasty, nail polish was made from beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, vegetable dyes, and gum Arabic. 
From China, nail polish spread through India, the Middle East, and northern Africa, where it enjoyed immense popularity. In Egypt, pale colors were worn by commoners, while high society chose red to adorn their nails. After the fall of the Roman empire, nail polish disappeared from European fashion and did not reappear until the Renaissance, when new trade connections were established with the Middle East and India. By the 9th century, nails were tinted with scented red oils, polished or buffed. 
As the centuries progressed, nail polish and manicures became more common place, first in France in the late 18th century. By the 19th and early 20th centuries, people sought a polished, rather than painted look by massaging tinted powders and creams into their nails, buffing them until they were shiny. One polishing product that was sold during this time was Graf's Hyglo nail polish paste.
With the creation of automobile paint, Cutex produced the first modern nail polish in 1917. In 1932 the Charles Revson Company, later Revlon, produced their first nail polish. Once the technique was refined, it was often used in place of gloves to cover up grime and dirt underneath finger and toenails.
References: Wikipedia and History of Cosmetics.
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