How This Light-Based Treatment Is Beating Fungal Infections

How This Light-Based Treatment Is Beating Fungal Infections

Fungal nail infections can be stubborn. Once they’ve taken hold, they’re not easy to shift. Traditional treatments often take months, come with mixed results, and can leave people feeling frustrated and embarrassed. But a different kind of approach is getting serious attention — and it doesn’t involve endless creams, tablets or nail lacquers. It’s called PACT, and it uses light to fight fungus in a whole new way.

What is PACT?

PACT stands for Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy. It’s a non-invasive treatment that uses a combination of light and a specially formulated dye to kill fungal cells.

Here’s how it works:

1. A photosensitive gel is applied to the infected nail.
2. The gel soaks into the nail and the fungal structures beneath it.
3. A high-intensity red light is then shone onto the nail.
4. This light activates the gel, producing a chemical reaction that destroys the fungus without damaging surrounding skin or tissue.

The key here is the selective targeting. The light and gel combination attacks the fungus without harming the healthy parts of the nail or skin.

Why fungal nail infections are so difficult to treat

Fungal nail infections, also known as onychomycosis, don’t just sit on the surface. They burrow beneath the nail and live inside the nail bed. This makes them particularly hard to treat because most topical solutions struggle to penetrate deeply enough.

Oral antifungal medications can work, but they often need to be taken for several months, and some people experience side effects or can’t take them due to other health conditions. There’s also the issue of recurrence. Even after treatment, fungal infections have a nasty habit of coming back. That’s where PACT fungal nail treatment offers something different.

What makes PACT treatment stand out

PACT therapy has a few things going for it that traditional treatments simply don’t offer.

Non-invasive – No drilling, cutting, or harsh chemicals. The nail stays intact throughout the treatment.

No systemic side effects – Unlike oral antifungals, there’s no impact on the liver or other organs. The treatment stays local.

Targets the infection directly – The light-activated gel reaches the fungal cells and destroys them precisely.

Safe for most people – Because it doesn’t involve strong systemic medications, PACT can often be used even when other treatments aren’t suitable.

Minimal risk of resistance – Fungi can sometimes adapt to creams and tablets over time. PACT uses a physical reaction (light + gel) that fungi can’t develop resistance to in the same way.

What to expect during a PACT session

The first step is usually preparing the nail. In many cases, the infected part of the nail will be gently filed down or debrided. This helps the gel soak in more effectively.

After that:

• The photosensitive gel is applied to the nail and left to absorb.
• After a short waiting period, the red light is applied for several minutes.
• The process is painless — no burning, stinging or discomfort.
• You can walk out and carry on with your day as normal.

It’s not a one-off solution. Fungal infections take time to treat, so a course of several treatments is often needed. How many depends on the severity and extent of the infection, but most people need weekly or fortnightly sessions for a few weeks.

What about nail regrowth?

It’s important to remember that even when the infection is killed, the nail won’t suddenly look perfect overnight. Nails grow slowly — about 1 to 2 mm a month for fingernails and even slower for toenails. So after treatment, you’ll still need to wait several months for the healthy nail to fully grow out.

This is totally normal and expected. What matters is stopping the infection in its tracks and letting new, clear nail replace the damaged one over time.

Who might benefit the most from PACT?

While PACT can be a good option for many people, it’s especially useful in a few situations:

• You’ve tried creams or tablets with no success.
• You can’t take oral antifungals due to liver issues or other health reasons.
• You want a treatment with no downtime or side effects.
• You’re looking for a more natural, targeted approach without putting stress on your system.

It’s also a solid option for people who’ve had fungal infections come back again and again. Because PACT physically destroys fungal cells, it can sometimes be more effective at clearing persistent infections when used correctly and consistently.

Does it work for everyone?

No treatment is 100% effective for every single person. Success can depend on factors like how severe the infection is, how long it’s been there, and how well the treatment plan is followed.

However, PACT shows promising results, especially when combined with good foot care, nail hygiene, and steps to prevent reinfection. That includes things like avoiding shared shoes, keeping feet dry, disinfecting nail tools, and not walking barefoot in public wet areas.

A Better Way to Tackle Nail Fungus

If you’ve been dealing with a fungal nail infection that just won’t go away, PACT might be the turning point. It offers a modern, non-invasive method that uses the science of light to do what creams and pills often can’t.

No mess. No pain. No downtime.

Just a targeted, smart approach that focuses on killing the infection without harming the rest of your body.