MLS® Laser For The Treatment of Nail Surgery Wounds

Why use therapeutic laser for nail surgery wound care?
MLS®Laser Therapy or photobiomodulation can be used as part of a treatment plan to aid the healing of the wounds caused by surgical removal of the nail plate. Therapeutic laser can help to increase the speed and quality of healing in the nail bed and, where relevant, the surrounding tissues.

As well as post nail surgery, laser can be used in the treatment of many different types of wounds; from traumatic injuries to diabetic ulcers and other post-surgical wounds. Laser therapy offers a painless but effective method of treatment which, when combined with appropriate dressings and offloading where required, has been shown to reduce healing times.

How does MLS® Laser work on wounds?
Wound healing comprises of four different phases of the repair process: haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling. For tissue to successfully heal, all four stages must be completed properly. In vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out, and continue to be carried out, by ASA to evaluate and understand the effects of MLS® Laser on the wound healing process.

Proteomic studies were carried out and showed that MLS® treatment essentially increases anti-inflammatory proteins leading to normalisation of vascular function and a reduction in oedema. This decrease in inflammation and oedema results in a decrease in pain, a symptom often experienced by wound patients. Further to this, MLS® Laser can also increase the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of cells, cytoskeleton organisation and differentiation as well as an increase in proteins which bind ATP, meaning an improvement in tissue repair quality and timing.

For further information please see:
Monici, M., Cialdai, F., Paoli, P., Boscaro, F., Moneti, G., Caselli, A. and Ranaldi, F. (2013) ‘Effect of IR laser on myoblasts: a proteomic study’, Molecular Biosystems, 9, pp.1147-1161

Is it difficult or time consuming to treat wounds with laser?
MLS® Laser Therapy offers a quick and easy option. With preset parameters for tissue regeneration, it couldn’t be easier to select the correct settings to treat your patients. Depending on the size of the wound, treatment times for post nail surgery wounds are generally just a few minutes long. MLS® Laser is painless for patients and is completely safe to use, with no risk of thermal damage.

If contact treatment is preferred, the wound or the head of the laser can be covered with a clear film dressing or clingfilm to allow direct application, however, hovering the laser approximately 5mm above the wound surface will also deliver a safe and effective treatment.

Nail Surgery Audit by Adam Smith Podiatry & Healthcare – Demonstrates 2 Week Reduction in Healing Times with MLS® Laser Therapy
An audit carried out by Adam Smith from Adam Smith Podiatry & Healthcare demonstrated an average reduction of 2 weeks in healing times, from an average 6 weeks to an average of 4 weeks, for nail surgery patients where MLS® Laser treatment was used as part of the treatment package.

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