Can Laser Treatment Cure Toenail Fungus

How To Treat Toenail Fungus

Traditional remedies for toenail fungus include creams and ointments, both over the counter and prescriptive. But the efficacy of these preparations is limited. The dermatophyte fungi burrow between the layers of your nails. Because those nails are nonporous, its difficult for ointments to penetrate enough to take effect. The success rate for topical ointments is therefore quite low.

Systemic medications, taken orally, use a more direct approach to address the fungus. You take the pill, the medication is absorbed into your bloodstream, and the fungus is attacked within the nail formation process.

Treatment & Prevention Of Toenail Fungus

While there are many over-the-counter remedies for fungal nails, these rarely produce the desired results. A non-prescription remedy may provide temporary relief, but toenail fungus often comes back if it is not thoroughly wiped out during the initial treatment. Prescription medications and additional treatment from a podiatrist is the most reliable means of getting permanent results.

There are several preventative measures you can take to keep toenail fungus away after youve had it removed:

• Throw away shoes you wore when the infection developed
• Wash your feet regularly
• Keep nails neatly trimmed with disinfected clippers
• Wear shoes that let your feet breath
• Wear foot protection around swimming pools and in locker rooms

For more information about toenail fungus prevention, or to have your condition diagnosed and treated by anexperienced podiatrist, call us at.

How The Laser Treatment For The Toenail Fungus Works

Lasers are an emission of high frequency lights capable of cutting and destroying tiny atoms coming its way. The laser treatment for the toe-nail fungus also works on this basic characteristic of laser.

To treat the toenail fungus, the toes are put directly under the laser nozzle, and the laser will then hit at the nail bed where there is the fungus. This interaction will destroy the microorganism, killing it, through the heat.

The laser used for the toenail fungus treatment is the CO2 laser usually, but for the treatment of some complex grown lasers doctors prefer the YAG laser, also known as yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser.

The wavelength of this laser light is quite high because this is how it is going to kill and attack each micro-organismic cell of the fungus. The regular laser for the toenail fungus treatment comes with a 900nm to 1300nm.

This is to increase the temperature of the laser and this increased temperature will make the nail-bed hot for the fungus. It will burn the fungus at the nail bed.

Another benefit of this much higher wavelength is the sterilizing effect of heat. This sterilized nailbed is now safe and no more fungal growth can happen for the next few years.

You might wonder why we cannot have the fungus destroyed in a single session.

Well, you can but it will increase the risk of tissue destruction, so, there is no point to get into a hurry. The doctors make sure that your damaged tissues, even if they get slightly damaged during the session.

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What Are The Benefits Of Using Laser Treatment Over Drug Treatment

Oral antifungal medications are toxic, and may cause serious medical complications. As a result, clients that are taking these medications are asked to go through routine blood tests to make sure their liver is not damaged during the treatment.

A laser treatment is completely drug free, meaning it does not impose all the health risks associated with the oral antifungal medications. There are no adverse reactions, injuries, or known side effects from use of lasers to treat a toenail fungus infection.

Doctors Weigh Best Treatments

The best treatment for fungal nail infections is a prescription that your dermatologist can prescribe that you take every day for two-to-three months. The pill is not for everyone, since oral antifungals can interact with other medications and can affect the liver.

Fortunately if you dont want to or cant take a pill, there are topical solutions to treat nail fungus. Although topical medications are desirable because of the low risk of side effects and interaction with other medications, they have much longer treatment regimens. Generally, topical medications have a lower clearance rate compared to oral pills.

Newer topical antifungals including Efinaconazole and Tavaborole have better penetration of the nail plate and so they work better compared to older topical medications, says Dr. Ng. She says the topical medications work best if you only have partial nail involvement.

Lasers are approved by the FDA to temporarily increase the amount of clear nail. However, the cure rates are lower than oral medications and topical solutions.

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Laser For Fungal Nail Infections

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the toenails, which affects a large percentage of the population. The main cause of this infection are dermatophytes, a type of fungus that distorts the color, the shape and thickness of the nail, coming to destroy it completely, unless measures are taken to combat them. Until recently, treatment options were limited to topical creams and lacquers as well as oral mediation these suffer from slow results and liver toxicity. Today, advances in medical technology allow us to have a new and effective method: S30 PODYLAS laser, which treats the nail fungus quickly, safely and without side effects. S30 PODYLAS is a 1064nm laser 40W power used to treat onychomycosis, plantar warts and papillomas, neurovascular helomas, intractable plantar keratosis, postoperative recovery, analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapy and other dermatological conditions of the feet.

Nail Fungus Treatment Faqs

How many laser treatments are needed for toenail fungus?

Most patients only need one laser treatment to get rid of toenail fungus. In some more severe cases it may take two treatments to fully extinguish toenail fungus. 90% of patients report that their fungus is gone after one treatment.

Can you file away toenail fungus?

In most cases patients can treat toenail fungus by filing it down and maintaining the nail so that there is not room for the fungus to live and grow. There are other topical treatments that can help get rid of the fungus as well.

Does toe fungus ever go away?

Toenail fungus will not go away until it has been treated. Over time the fungus will spread and grow around your nail until the nail has been totally destroyed. It is important to treat and maintain toenail fungus if you have it.

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What Types Of Treatments Are Available For Toenail Fungus

Until recently, toenail fungus treatment had been limited to topical anti-fungal creams/nail lacquer and oral medication. With limited success and many downsides, these treatments have become secondary to the more effective laser treatments.

The antifungal cream/lacquer has the lowest success rate, ranging from 5-12% . Unless you have extremely mild toenail fungus, topical treatments are very unlikely to effectively penetrate into, underneath, and around the affected toenail.

Prescribed oral medications work somewhat better . Howeverand this is big, however oral antifungal medications have significant medical risks and often interreact with other prescription drugs. Oral medications should not be prescribed without consulting a primary care physician, in order to ensure safety and protection during the months you would be taking these pills.

Side effects might include liver failure, rash, loss of taste, or change of taste , headaches, stomach discomfort, and lupus-like symptoms.

Topical medications require daily applications for at least a year, and often longer. Even then, a lifetime of application on some level is required to prevent a recurrence. Oral medications, similarly, require several months of pills and are usually associated with recurrence at some point afterward.

Studies show the success in clearing fungal infection through laser treatment was good enough for laser treatment to be FDA cleared and is now considered the ideal method to treat onychomycosis.

How Did I Get Toenail Fungus To Begin With

Fungus is everywhere and most of the time thats not a problem. Our immune system is pretty good at fighting off any infections. However, when the immune system is weakened, such as with diabetes, chronic illness, and other diseases, then fungus has the ability to easily set up shop. So, a weakened immune system is often the culprit and increases your risk of getting a fungal toenail infection. In diabetes or vascular disease, where blood flow is not that ideal going down to the toes, the fungus will often become a problem.

Furthermore, a good percentage of the population is simply more susceptible to fungus infections. This is something you may inherit from your parents and have no control over. So if your mom, dad, or aunt Edna have always had those awful, thick, yellow toenails, then there is a good chance you may eventually get them too .

Guys may tend to get toenail fungus more than ladies, and older people tend to get toenail fungus simply because there has been more time on this planet for those toenails to be exposed to the fungus

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Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus In Long Beach Ca 90808

There is a better way to treat toenail fungus that does not entail using harsh medicines that work in only about half of the patients. We are pleased to be now offering the Cutera GenesisPlus laser treatment for toenail fungus in Long Beach, CA. This laser is FDA approved. GenesisPlus is a quick and comfortable way to clear the nail without drug therapy. Clear nail growth can be observed following 1-2 fifteen minute laser treatments.

Toenail fungus often occurs in adults and can be contracted in many different ways including pedicures by others, nail injuries, or even wearing closed-in footwear. However contracted, usually you will notice brittleness, discoloration, and thickening of the nail including change of shape. If left untreated it can permanently damage the nail and spread to surrounding nails and skin.

Over-the-counter creams and ointments generally do not help in the fight of toenail fungus. Medicines for toenail fungus need about 12 months to treat this condition and are only successful in about 50% of the patients. Even if your healthcare provider removes the nail it may take over 1 year for the toenail to grow back. We have awesome results with our Cutera GenesisPlus laser treatment.

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Before Taking This Medicine

You should not use Tinactin if you are allergic to it.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to use Tinactin if you have other medical conditions.

It is not known whether Tinactin will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctors advice if you are pregnant.

It is not known whether tolnaftate topical passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctors advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give this medicine to a child without medical advice.

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How Are Fungal Nails Treated

Traditionally, fungal toenails are treated with a combination of oral medications and topical creams and gels the condition is a bit more serious oral medications are used because they have proven to be very effective. The most commonly prescribed medication, which has been effective is Lamisil otherwise known as terbinafine. However, National Foot & Ankle Center offers innovative laser treatments to destroy the fungus and restore the toenails to health. Photodynamic therapy or laser therapy has also shown to be an effective treatment and uses the application of a special light-activated agent or uses a laser to target the affected tissue without damaging the healthy skin. Laser treatment provides quicker resolution of the fungal infection, typically in between 1 and 4 treatments, depending on the severity of the fungal infection. National Foot & Ankle Center provides customized treatment plans for each patient to address his or her specific needs.

Candidates For Hyperblue Plus Laser Therapy

Treating toenail fungal infections isnt a one-size-fits-all approach, so the best way to learn which treatment is right for you is by scheduling a consultation with a provider at the Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers location nearest you.

Your podiatrist reviews your medical history, discusses your symptoms, and conducts a physical evaluation to determine the right therapy for your fungal infection. They may also order additional lab tests to ensure the best treatment for your specific needs.

Generally speaking, you may be a candidate for HyperBlue PLUS laser therapy if you:

• Have tried over-the-counter medications without success
• Havent had success with prescription oral or topical medications
• Dont have certain pre-existing conditions
• Are willing to commit to a series of sessions to eradicate the fungus

Learn if laser therapy is right for you by contacting the Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers office of your choice. You may also request an appointment online at your convenience.

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If I Have Only One Infected Nail Can I Treat Only That One And Save Time And Cost

Unfortunately, no. The reason for this is that if one of your nails is infected, the chances are that your other nails are infected as well. To allow the treatment to be successful and prevent future self infections, it is best to treat all the nails at once. An exception to this is for the treatment of an isolated fungal infection related to acrylic nail air pockets. In these incidences, we will treat the one affected finger nail.

Does The Cutera Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus Hurt

The Cutera laser provides a comfortable safe feedback. Patient feedback is also important during the procedure. A warming sensation will be felt in the nail bed as the laser is passed over the nail. If the nail becomes painful, the patient can take a break. Immediately following the procedure, the nail may feel warm for a few minutes and patients can resume normal activity.

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Common Toenail Fungus Treatments

To combat toenail fungus, there are common at-home and prescribed treatments. Depending on the severity of the toenail fungus, treatment options will vary. For mild to moderate toenail fungus, topical and oral antifungal treatments can suppress the fungus infection and symptoms. Unfortunately, these treatments cant always promise long-lasting results. In recent years, podiatrists have been looking at laser technology as the next best thing for pesky toenail fungus.

Urgent Fungus Destroyer Or Tropical Creams

The laser treatment is an expensive way to cure the toenail fungus, a lot of people still believe that the toenail fungus can revive if we do not take proper care of our health and immune system.

In such a case, the urgent fungus destroyer can be the life saver. These tablets are designed and manufactured to fight the toenail fungus while maintaining your immune system at its best.

The urgent fungus buster is better than the topical creams and other tablets as it contains all the essential probiotics to kill the fungus and strengthen the good bacteria in the gut and blood.

Also, there are other home remedies to help getting rid of toenail fungus. These are not the best and can even be compared to laser technology or Urgent fungus destroyer. It includes using products like, Hydrogen peroxide, Coconut oil, Apple cider vinegar, Bleach etc.

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The Urgent Fungus Destroyer: Tablets

To tackle the toenail fungus, your physician can prescribe a tablet or supplement. The Urgent Fungus Destroyer is one of the most effective toenail fungi treating medicine.

It includes all the probiotics required to enhance the immune system naturally, along with it the composition of this very tablet is like a supplement to keep the bodys immunity at the optimum level.

Even if you feel that you get the seasonal fungus on your skin, like the itchy, or during fungus infection you can still have this supplement to keep yourself safe during those seasons.

Not only the Urgent Fungus Destroyer, but there are several other fungus treating medicines available in the market. We have referred this one, because it is suitable for all the ages and genders and is more better.

The most Interesting thing: It is that the Urgent fungus destroyer is very cheap in price and is definitely more reliable than any other method one can use. Plus, the results are also fast and safe.

Read our complete review and Customer/Patient case study in detail, about the Urgent fungus destroyer here.

What Is The Treatment Like For Laser Therapy Does It Hurt

When you come to Greater Washington Advanced Podiatry for Lunula laser treatment we like to make things easy. First, we have a NO CONTACT laser visit option, where you stay 6 feet away from anyone the whole time. We also have a full-service option, while stills adhering to social distancing and CDC guidelines. With this approach, you get a nail fungus evaluation including nail culture. A consultation with one of our podiatry specialists will allow you to decide which approach is best for you and have all your questions answered. Your doctor can even smooth down those ugly thick toenails to make you more comfortable and happy with your toes.

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