The 26 Review
- What is Laser Therapy for Toe Fungus A safe, quick, and painless laser treatment to effectively treat toenail fungus
- Why A safer alternative to oral medication and more effective than topical medicines.
- How Laser therapy penetrates through the nail plate to the source of the infection
- Recommended for Individuals seeking a safe and effective treatment for toenail fungus
- Length of Surgery Actual treatment is less than 10 minutes each time, results noticeable in 12 weeks
- Downtime None
Let’s take a closer look…
Toenail fungus often starts as an infection in the skin. If the fungus moves to a moist, warm area under the toenail, the fungus will continue to grow. As time goes by the fungus will begin to cause changes in appearance to the exposed toenail(s). If you are struggling with an infection in the toenail(s), you may have noticed your toenail(s) look thick, oddly shaped and either yellow or brown. Laser therapy as a treatment in short, offers a quick and safe procedure to effectively kill the fungal organisms causing dystrophic changes to affected toenail(s). This treatment therapy also allows patients an alternative to surgical procedures for chronic fungal infection-related toenail problems, with a painless solution. Laser therapy can immediately kill hard-to-reach fungal infections, as well as promote new and healthy nail growth.
Why Laser Therapy
Laser Therapy offers an alternative option for patients suffering from pesky recurring fungal infections. Most common treatment options for toenail fungus include oral medications, topical treatments, and/or a combination of both. Both treatments can improve toenail health; however, patients don’t always respond to prescription medications. As mentioned before, laser therapy offers a solution to fungal infections that avoids surgery and offers a better solution for infections that won’t disappear with over-the-counter medications. One of the main benefits associated with laser therapy treatment is that heat lasers thoroughly destroy fungal infections. The heat generated from the laser allows for an extremely efficient removal process, as well as a quick and beneficial healing process. This process causes patients little to no discomfort and laser toenail therapy patients do not need anesthesia. In conjunction with the prior benefits, there are no significant side effects, making this procedure safe and effective for ongoing toenail fungus problems. Lastly, toenail laser therapy is suitable for all ages who are looking for an alternative treatment option.
How: Steps of Laser Therapy
To treat fungal infections within the toenail(s) there are a few pre and post steps to take to ensure the laser therapy procedure is as effective as possible. Prior to your procedure it is recommended to remove all nail polish and to file down the thickness of your toenail(s). Clean the affected area as well as any other skin that could be promoting new fungal growth. Toenail fungus often thrives at the base of a nail(s) and therefore this treatment penetrates both the toenail and the soft tissue. Not only does this immediately kill the targeted fungus, but it also promotes new and healthy nail growth post-procedure. Toenail laser therapy treatments usually take less than 10 minutes to perform, depending on the patient’s infection severity and most patients can expect to see an improvement in the toenail(s) as early as 3 months after starting therapy. If permanent toenail damage has already occurred, results will vary. Following successful treatment, toenail fungus can return if post-treatment care is not properly maintained. Our podiatrist encourage the use of regular anti-fungal creams and topical anti-fungal medications post procedure to apply around the previously infected toenail(s). Utilizing an anti-fungal spray inside shoes has also proven beneficial to keeping future infections from recurring. It is important to properly clean objects that encounter the toenail(s) such as fabrics, clippers, files, socks, and shoes. Lastly, consider waterless laser pedicures as an option to prevent contracting or spreading toenail fungus. If you’re currently experiencing a persistent toenail fungus problem, consider making an appointment with a podiatrist to learn whether you would benefit from toenail laser therapy!