Toenail fungus doesn’t stand a chance against the Lunula laser

By Patricia Nugent

We live in a culture of instant gratification, not accustomed to waiting for much these days. However, like it or not, there are still things we don’t have the power to expediate. How fast your toenails grow is one of them. Because of this, treating issues such as toenail fungus can be a slow process, as long as six months or more. In the past, it has also been a difficult condition to heal, as the nail sits on top of the infection, in a way, shielding it.

Luckily for Clevelanders suffering from the thickened, distorted and discolored nails that come with a fungus infection, Dr. Danielle Shaper, founder of Finesse Footcare, specializes in a highly effective treatment modality: the Lunula laser.

“Once the fungus infection has become embedded in the nail, it can be very stubborn and unresponsive to treatment,” she explains. “I deal with it a lot, especially with my patients in the senior population. The occurrence rate jumps from one person in 10 in the general population, to 50% in people over 70. And especially for seniors, thickened and misshapen nails can present pain in an ill-fitting shoe, and become a challenge to take care of.”

How it Works
“Made in the USA, the breakthrough non-thermal Lunula laser is painless and touchless,” she explains. “Patients just position their feet under it for 12 minutes per session. It takes six sessions to show improvement. Being non-thermal is especially important in patients who have diabetes and neuropathy and might not be able to feel the heat of a traditional laser.”

Since the Lunula taps into low wavelengths and frequencies, patients do not experience any burning sensation or discomfort. Plus, there’s no downtime and there are no restrictions. Patients are free to leave Dr. Shaper’s office following treatment and go about their day.

Preventing Fungus
Dr. Shaper has a few tips for people to avoid contracting a fungal infection in the first place:
• Keep your feet and nails clean and dry.
• Trim your nails to an optimal level.
• Always wear footwear or shower shoes in locker rooms or pool areas.
• Wear absorbent socks.
• Select shoes that are made of breathable material.

She offers routine footcare to help seniors who may have difficulty keeping their nails trimmed properly.

Custom Orthotics
Since many of her toenail fungus patients could benefit from the improved gait and balance that custom-fit orthotics provide, she decided to run a special offering half off orthotics to these patients.

“The goal of orthotics is to change the biomechanics of the foot,” says Dr. Shaper, who wears her own pair of orthotics daily. “They treat many conditions, from collapsed arch to high arch to realigning a patient’s gait. In some cases, they can be preventive as well, and help us avoid surgery.”

Sometimes a person will have knee or hip pain, and the root cause is actually a misalignment of the foot.

Working with Forward Motion 3D custom orthotics, Dr. Shaper digitally casts a person’s foot for an ideal fit. No more messy plaster casts, and the orthotics are back from the lab in just a couple weeks instead of months with the old casting technique.

Finesse Footcare is located at 5035 Mayfield Road, Suite 202, in Lyndhurst. As a full-service podiatrist, in addition to laser therapy, Dr. Shaper also treats most foot and ankle issues, ranging from ingrown toenails to bunions, heel pain, hammertoes, corns, warts, calluses and sprained ankles. She offers diabetic footcare, custom orthotics, sports medicine and surgery. Call 216-382-8070 or visit FinesseFootcare.com for more information