Are your nails thick and yellow due to toenail fungus? Laser nail treatment offered by your Dulles and Gainesville, VA, podiatrists, Dr. Mukesh Bhakta and Dr. Anam Ali of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, is the ideal solution if you have a stubborn fungal infection.

Why toenail fungus is so difficult to treat at home

Drugstore anti-fungal products only reach the first few layers of your toenails. No matter how often you apply the product, it will never penetrate deep inside your nail or reach the nail bed. If you don't treat those areas, the fungus will never go away. Although over-the-counter products might help if you only have a mild infection, they're much less effective at treating severe infections.

Treating toenail fungus is important

Toenail fungus isn't just an appearance issue. If the fungus thickens your nails, you may be more likely to develop ingrown toenails. As the fungus works its way through the nail, the nail could loosen and may even fall off. If you have diabetes, it's particularly important to treat toenail fungus promptly. An untreated fungal infection could increase your risk of cellulitis and other infections that could harm your health.

Laser nail treatment offers an effective way to treat fungus

Laser nail treatment in the Dulles or Gainesville, VA, podiatry office targets the pigments that give the fungus its color. The laser light heats the pigments, killing the fungus. During the treatment, your doctor uses short bursts of laser lights that heat the nail without making your toe uncomfortably hot. In fact, you may only feel a slight warmth or mild tingling sensation when the laser is activated. As soon as the treatment is over, you can resume your normal activities

When you'll see a difference in your nail

Laser nail treatment immediately kills toenail fungus, but it can't immediately make your yellow nails look clear. As the nail grows over the next few months, you'll notice the bottom part of your nail is no longer discolored. As the discolored part of the nail grows out, your entire nail will eventually become clear again.

Although laser nail treatment is very effective in treating toenail fungus, it won't prevent new infections. Fortunately, following these recommendations will help you avoid another infection:

• Don't walk barefoot around pool areas and locker rooms
• Avoid sharing shoes and socks with friends or family members
• Wear shoes made of breathable materials
• Change your socks and shoes when they get sweaty
• Use anti-fungal shoe spray

Would you like to finally get rid of your toenail fungus? Schedule a laser nail treatment with your podiatrists in Dulles and Gainesville, VA, Dr. Bhakta and Dr. Ali of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, by calling (703) 753-3338.

How your podiatrists in Gainesville, and Dulles, VA, can help you get rid of foot warts

Foot warts can be ugly and embarrassing. When you have foot warts, you may not want to take off your socks and shoes. Fortunately, they are easily treatable by your podiatrist.

Dr. Mukesh Bhakta and Dr. Anam Ali at Prince William Foot & Ankle Center offer a wide variety of foot and ankle services, including treatment of foot warts. They have two convenient office locations in Gainesville, and Dulles, VA, to help you.

Foot warts are caused by a virus, and they can:

• Look like a callus
• Appear as rough, scaly bumps
• Have small black dots in the middle of them
• Form on your toes, heels, soles, or forefeet
• Develop into open sores if they are in the ridges and lines in your feet

Children and teenagers are at a higher risk of developing warts, but adults can develop them too. Your risk of developing warts also increases if:

• You have a compromised immune system
• You walk barefoot in public areas like showers, locker rooms, or gyms

For small foot warts, over-the-counter wart removal solutions may offer some relief. For stubborn warts that don’t respond to over-the-counter medications, it’s best to visit your podiatrist, who can help you get rid of foot warts permanently.

Professional treatments to remove warts include:

• Applying topical stronger acid solution to remove the wart layer-by-layer with aggressive debridement
• Prescription topical medications and compounding ointments
• Using liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart
• Using laser therapy to kill the virus and the cells forming the wart
• Oral medications in children for stubborn warts

Foot warts can be unsightly and uncomfortable, but you don’t have to put up with them. Your podiatrist can help you get rid of warts permanently.

To learn more about the treatment of foot warts, call Dr. Mukesh Bhakta and Dr. Anam Ali at Prince William Foot & Ankle Center. You can reach them in the Gainesville, VA, or in the Dulles, VA, offices by calling (703) 753-3338. Call today.

We tend to ignore them until something goes wrong, but our feet deserve as much attention as any other part of our body. We depend on them for everything, and whether it's an injury, discomfort, or a chronic condition, our Gainesville, VA, foot doctor can help. Learn more by reaching out to Dr. Mukesh Bhakta and Dr. Anam Ali of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center.

Injuries

Foot and ankle injuries are a common reason why many of us end up making a visit to our podiatrist's office. At-home treatment for these injuries can relieve some discomfort and inflammation, something that is key at the early stages, but it is no substitute for a thorough examination from your doctor. Ingrown toenails are a great example of this, when they first occur, if not too much tissue is compromised, the nail can often be cut and the problem prevented with less constrictive shoes. But we should avoid risking further harm by prying too much into an already infected nail.

Foot Pain

Not all foot pain stems from an injury, at least not in the sense with which we're familiar. Underlying foot conditions can make us more prone to complications like bunions and heel pain simply by walking, especially in improper footwear. Your doctor can often address these problems with conservative treatments such as custom-made orthotics but can prescribe surgery in the rare events where this is necessary.

Diabetes

Diabetes and associated chronic diseases require regular examinations from your podiatrist. These conditions can make injuries and lesions in the lower extremities not only much more difficult to notice, but also negatively impact the healing process making infections and other severe complications very likely.

Foot Doctor in Gainesville, VA

There are many ways your foot doctor can help improve your quality of life, by proactively working with you to prevent discomfort, or to alleviate it when it's already present. Whatever your need, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Bhakta and Dr. Ali of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center in Gainesville, VA, by dialing 703-753-3338.

Should you turn to a podiatrist if you are experiencing heel pain?

Heel pain is one of the most common foot problems our Gainesville, VA, podiatrist Dr. Mukesh Bhakta sees. In fact, heel pain impacts more than 2 million men and women in the US each year. While minor heel pain may go away with rest and proper care, it’s also important to recognize when you may need to turn to a foot care professional for treatment.

If you are dealing with heel pain you may think you can handle it on your own, and if the pain is minor you may be able to; however, you should turn to our Gainesville, VA, podiatrist right away if you are experiencing any of these symptoms,

• Severe heel pain
• Severe swelling
• Issues moving or bending the foot
• Difficulty walking or you’re unable to put weight on the foot
• Numbness of the foot
• An open sore that won’t heal

Any heel pain that occurs as a result of an injury or accident requires immediate attention from a qualified foot care professional. While you won’t require urgent care, it’s still a good idea to see us if your heel pain persists even at rest or if you are dealing with heel pain for several days and it doesn’t seem to be alleviated with rest and home care.

What will a podiatrist do?

We will first examine the foot and ask you questions regarding the pain. Your answers will provide us with insight into what might be going on. In most cases, an inflammatory condition known as plantar fasciitis if often to blame. While this condition isn’t usually a cause for concern, it can become chronic if left untreated or if not properly treated, which is why it’s always best to turn to our podiatric staff for immediate care.

Once we’ve determined the cause of your heel pain we can provide you with a variety of treatment options. Some ways to ease heel pain include,

• Limiting activities and getting ample rest
• Over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers
• Steroid injections (for more severe cases)
• Physical therapy
• Orthotics & orthopedic shoes
• Shockwave therapy
• Ultrasound therapy
• Surgery (only in rare cases)

If you are dealing with severe or recurring heel pain, we have an offices in Gainesville, VA, to better serve you and your foot needs. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bhakta at Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, call (703) 753-3338.

If you notice an abnormal-looking callus on your foot it could be the sign of plantar warts, otherwise known as foot warts. Often these warts are mistaken for corns or calluses by the untrained eye. However, if you learn how to identify foot warts you will be better prepared to treat them. In some cases, warts can disappear on their own, but your Gainesville, VA, podiatrist Dr. Mukesh Bhakta could help you treat them faster and more effectively. Visit Prince William Foot & Ankle Center to treat your foot warts today!

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) which infects the outer layer of your skin. Foot warts specifically have a distinct appearance. They appear flat, unlike other warts which are usually raised. This is because the skin of the foot is thicker than other parts of the body. You may also notice that warts have a rough texture. Plantar warts can also be characterized by the black dots near the center which are its blood supply. If you are still unsure if your wart is a callus or not compare these identifying features.

Warts

• Painful when squeezed on the sides
• small black dots (blood supply)
• Interrupts the skin lines

Callus

• Painful when pushed into directly
• No sign of black dots (no blood supply)
• Skin line continues through the dead skin

 
Warts can be painful, especially when a large cluster forms on your sole. It can be difficult to treat these clusters so seek help from your Gainesville, VA, foot doctor at Prince William Foot & Ankle Center. Sent Treatment can involve OTC salicylic acid or cryotherapy. Warts can be contagious with direct contact. They can also become infected if they break the skin. If you want to treat warts right away call Dr. Bhakta for help. He uses multiple methods of treatment with aggressive acid cauterization, prescription medications, laser treatment, alternative methods, and surgical excision as a last resort.

Now that you know what foot warts look like you are prepared to handle them. You don't have to wait for them to go away, ask your podiatrist what treatment options could help you.

If you have foot warts call Dr. Bhakta at (703)753-3338. You can also visit Prince William Foot & Ankle Center in Gainesville, VA, for all your foot-related needs. Schedule an appointment today with our friendly and highly qualified podiatrist!