Photodynamic Therapy (PACT) for Fungal Nails

Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy (or PACT, for short) is a new and effective treatment for onychomycosis (fungal nail infections). It can be used as an alternative to oral medication and has been shown to resolve the disease better than the limited results achieved through the use of topical antifungal lacquers.

What is PACT Therapy?

PACT causes the fungal cells to die by creating a photochemical reaction as follows:

a photosensitive agent (a blue gel)
+
light of a specific wavelength
+
oxygen

The blue gel is applied to the nail and this selectively targets the walls of the fungal cells. This makes them sensitive to the PACT light so that the cell walls are destroyed. And voila – cell death!

How many treatments will I need?

Our Podiatrists will begin the consultation with an assessment in which they will use an industry-recommended checklist and scoring system to diagnose the severity of the infection. After that, they will make recommendations about the total number of treatments that are likely to be required.

Severe Fungal Nail Infection

A severe fungal nail infection is where the entire nail of many toes on one or both feet is infected with the disease. The patient has had the condition for several months and the nails have thickened and become crumbly, changed colour to white or yellow and one or more of the nails have started to lift off the nail bed. The skin around the nails is also impacted and is swollen and painful. The total treatment time is therefore:

• Three treatments in the first week
• A review after two weeks
• Monthly treatments for up to a year.

Moderate Fungal Nail Infection

A moderate fungal nail infection is where the infection has spread from the edge of the nail, and the nail has started to become thicker. Adjacent toenails have also started to be affected on one or both feet. Some discolouration may be visible and the nail appears white or yellow. The
treatment regime for this level of infection is generally:

• Three treatments in the first week
• A review after one month
• Monthly treatments for up to six months.

Mild Fungal Nail Infection

A mild fungal nail infection is where the condition remains at the edge of the nail only. It usually only affects a single nail on one foot and the patient has had the condition for a matter of days or weeks. The length of time to treat this amount of infection is usually:

• Three treatments in the first week
• A review after one month
• Monthly treatments for up to three months.

How much does PACT cost?

There is no additional cost to having PACT treatment. It is part of the normal consultation fee.

Is PACT covered by Medicare?

Under the Medicare EPC Program, eligible patients will receive a rebate for the consultation. The same applies to those with private health insurance.

Aftercare

We recommend that patients continue to try and achieve optimal nail and feet health as this helps avoid the infection returning. This includes topical antifungal treatments such as tea tree oil, wearing thongs in public showers and pools, and avoiding nail salons that don’t have proper hygiene.

FAQ’s