PinPointe FootLaser
Family Foot Care is pleased to announce that we are now a proud certified provider of PinPointe, a leader in podiatric light based therapy and creators of the PinPointe FootLaser intended for use for the temporary increase of clear nails in patients with onychomycosis, or nail fungus. PinPointe FootLaser is the first & currently the only laser to receive clearance from the U.S. FDA to treat the symptoms of patients suffering from onychomycosis, and Family Foot Care is the only practice in Whatcom & Skagit Counties to offer this clinically proven treatment.
Fungal infection is estimated to affect more than 10% of the U.S. population, or 35 million Americans. The PinPointe FootLaser is designed specifically to meet the needs of the podiatric community. PinPointe FootLaser typically requires only a 30 minute treatment performed in the comfort & privacy of our office. Nail fungus, Onychomycosis, is an embarrassing chronic condition that impacts a person's quality of life and can lead to other health problems for patients with diabetes, poor ciculation or immune disorders. The treatment of nail infection is difficult because the infection is under & inside of the nail, which makes it hard for other treatments to reach & destroy the fungal organisms. treatments such as medicated liquids/creams or oral medications may be associated with side effects or serious drug interactions. Home remedies such as bleach, vinegar, Vicks Vapor Rub, mouthwash or household cleaners to resolve the problem are often tried but ultimately fail to resolve it. After a single treatment, between 78-88% of patients experienced an increase in clear nails at 6 and 12 months, and 81% of all patients sustained improvements at 12 months. If you would like to more about our exciting new treatment for toenail fungus or would like to make an appointment, please call us at (360) 738-9797.
Painful calluses on the ball of the foot are caused by an abnormal alignment of the metatarsal bones. There are five metatarsal bones in each foot, each consisting of the long bones behind each toe. The metatarsal bone behind the big toe is called the first metatarsal, and so on.
The most common metatarsal surgery is performed on the first metatarsal for the correction of bunions.
Surgery on the second through fifth metatarsal bones is performed infrequently, and is usually done to treat painful calluses on the bottom of the foot or non-healing ulcers on the ball of the foot. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis may also need metatarsal surgery.
During surgery, the metatarsal bone is cut just behind the toe. Generally, the bone is cut all the way through, and then manually raised and held in its corrected position with a metal pin or screw. Following the surgery, the patient's foot may be placed in a cast.
In some instances, a surgeon will also cut out the painful callous on the bottom of the foot, but most prefer to do the procedure in an outpatient setting.