Lacuna method for Fungal Nails

What is a Fungal nail ?

Fungal nails are common, effecting 15% of the population.  Although not serious they can be unsightly and cause embarrassment.  They can be thick, crumbly, yellowish/brown and sometimes smelly.  Left alone the nail will progressively get worse.

Around 50% of dystrophic nails are not fungal therefore its important to obtain a nail fungal test prior to starting any treatment to ensure you don't waste your time and money.

Fungal nail tests can be obtained at the doctors.  A nail cutting is sent off to the laboratory for testing.

Alternatively a simple test can be done in the clinic which returns clear and accurate results in 5 minutes - onsite Fungal test £40.

Once a positive result has been obtained there are several options available:

• No treatment.

If the appearance doesn't bother you and its not spreading you can leave it alone or have the nail reduced at regular visits to the clinic.

• Fenestration of the nail plate.  

What is the Lacuna Method®?  

The Lacuna Method™ is a treatment for fungal nails that involves drilling micro-holes painlessly into the damaged nails. 

This allows an anti-fungal agent to directly reach the infected skin under the nail directly.

The patient can then continued to apply the anti-fungal medication once a day, allowing the nail to grow out healthily.

By making micro holes in the nail plate with innovative and specially designed micro burrs, you can then apply an anti-fungal agent, such as Lamisil Spray directly to the infected nail bed. Which will spread under the nail as you walk. With daily application of the antifungal agent, the fungus is stopped from spreading and the damaged nail grows out. As the nail is dead you cannot feel the holes being made. 

This stops the fungus spreading and encourages the healthy nail to grow out, along with the holes. As with any antifungal treatment, this takes time, as the infection will clear only as fast as your toenails grow, which can take up to 18 months. Review appointments are recommended on average every 6 weeks and this will include the redrilling of the holes as required. However, this may vary, and a treatment plan will be discussed.

Who created this revolutionary method for treating fungal nails?

Nicola O'Brian is a Podiatrist who gained her BSc Hons Podiatry from Brighton University in 2001. For the last 18yrs has specialised in Cosmetic Podiatry and has a special interest in Dermatology & Rheumatology. 

Her interest in Cosmetics meant that she was treating a large proportion of patients with fungal nail pathologies. 

Therefore she wanted to develop a way of treating the Fungal Nails and not just disguise them. 

A method that didn't require expensive machinery that most small private practices cannot afford.

So Lacuna Method® was born.

It took over 4yrs of development to bring a simple and safe methodology to the public domain. 

Costs - Initial assessment appointment £45 to include full medical history nail trimming/reduction and £40 for fungal nail test.

6 months treatment plan £200 includes 4 treatments

Single appointment £65

• Topical nail lacquer ‘Amorolfine’ maybe an option if 1 or 2 nails and the matrix not affected.

• Terbinafine tablets from the GP an option if the matrix has been affected.  Will involve a blood test of the liver function.

• Surgical removal of the nail under local anaesthetic by a Podiatrist

• Nail Softening Cream to remove the nail

When commencing any nail treatment, it is important to treat the affected skin, socks and shoes at the same time to prevent re-infection and to improve treatment outcomes.