Magazine for the professional nail industry.
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This shows the toenails treatment with the PinPointe FootLaser and at the three-month mark. Note new growth is clean from the base of toenail. The treatment takes 20 to 40 minutes on the ⇒ rst visit. Costs average anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500. Some doctors charge on the low end for a ⇒ rst-time visit, then up to $500 for follow-up visits. Other doctors charge in the $1,200 to $1,500 range for all 10 toes, with one to two follow-up treatments included in the initial price. "The life-cycle of fungus includes a dormant stage," explains Daniel Waldman, D.P.M., FACFAS, owner of Blue Ridge Foot Centers in Asheville, N.C. "Many doctors schedule a follow-up visit not only to monitor the growth of the fungus, but also to make sure patients are performing home care," says Dr. Waldman. The laser penetrates the nail plate, so the nail is not removed nor will patients lose their nail post treatment. In truth, the treatment may seem anti-climactic. Once the laser has been applied, patients won't see improvement for four to six months, with "maximum improvement not seen for a year," explains Dr. Bilinsky. Follow-up care is crucial. For toenail infections, many doctors, including Bilinsky and Waldman, insist patients purchase an ultraviolet shoe sanitizer, which kills up to 95% of bacteria, fungus, and virus that can land on and grow on the foot. CAN I BRING THIS INTO THE SALON? As salons expand into medi-spas, services such as skin peel, Botox, and Juvederm have shown up on menus. These services often require providers who possess training beyond what's covered with a standard cosmetology license, such as a registered nurse working under a doctor's license. Could laser treatment be the next add-on? Al Voss, a regulatory consultant for NuvoLase, offers salon owners some broad guidelines on the possibility. "The FDA says the laser machine is a prescrip- 114 | NAILS MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2012 www.nailsmag.com/fifi/23287 tive medical device that must be used by, or under the lawful order of, a person who practices medicine," explains Voss. This means a licensed medical prac- titioner (M.D., O.D., D.P.M., N.P., or P.A.) must prescribe the laser treat- ment. That seems clear enough, but everything becomes gray when the topic turns to who can carry out the prescription. Each state has its own set of rules, so it would seem the solution is to simply call the state board to learn the rules of your state. "But it's not as easy as that," says Voss. For example, in one state, the medical board may say only a physician can operate the laser, but other state regulatory boards may determine they don't agree with what the medical board says, because they are responsible for making regulations for their own licensees. "It's actually quite territorial," notes Voss. "Derma- tologists and plastic surgeons see esthetic treatments as within their province and are quite active in helping states regulate these procedures." A laser machine can run anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000, cost prohibi- tive for most salons. However, in states where regulations allow a visiting physi- cian or licensed practitioner to admin- ister the laser, salon owners may ⇒ nd opportunities to offer the service to clients in the salon. One place to start is by developing a relationship with a local podiatrist and dermatologist to instigate an opportunity for the doctor to visit the spa on scheduled days to perform laser treatment on spa clients. To learn the rules governing your state, call the medical board and your profession's regulatory board to deter- mine who can carry out the licensed practitioners orders. For more speci⇒ c information, ⇒ nd a laser provider in your area or contact NuvoLase's customer service department. © USED BY PERMISSION DR. DANIEL WALDMAN, DPM, FACFAS