New Year’s Day (and for that matter—any day) offers a fresh start for all of us, no matter what our age. You can start a new hobby, make a new friend, or begin a new fitness program. If you are over 50 there are some good options at the Houston YMCA—50 Moving Forward and Silversneakers—that offer classes and guidance to stay active as an older adult. Just remember when you use the pool or gym shower to protect your feet from toenail fungus.

One of the benefits of staying fit as you grow older is that you can still bend over and take care of your feet! Your risk for fungal nails increases as you get older—and if you are male—but paying more attention to your toes helps head off trouble. So head off to that yoga or flexibility and balance class to make your daily foot care routine a little easier.

If you do spot the beginning signs of an infection—small spots of white or yellow on the nail—don’t delay: call our office right away. The sooner you start treatment, the better your chance of avoiding the thickening, green or yellow discoloration, brittleness, and nail breakage that is common in the later stages of this condition.

When we confirm the presence of nail fungus, we have three main options for treating it: topical medication, oral medication, and laser therapy. The last is a recent development that has revolutionized fungal nail treatment, and our office was the first to use it in the Houston area.

It involves the use of targeted laser beams that vaporize and destroy the fungus cells without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue, and without serious side effects. The treatments are quick, easy, and painless—though you may feel an intense warmth at the site—and results have been impressive.