Does Blue Light Kill Toenail Fungus

Can The Fungus Return Or Not Go Away

• The fungal infection is expected to improve with just one treatment. Clinical reports to date have been encouraging with most patients noticing significant improvement. As with all medical procedures, a 100% guarantee is not possible. In addition, since fungus is present everywhere in the environment, reinfection may occur. Dr. Penn will recommend preventative strategies to reduce the chance of reinfection. Changing socks and shoes frequently is helpful, as well as controlling perspiration if present.

The Breathing Foot Soak

For this method, you will soak your toenails in 2% hydrogen peroxide for approximately 5 minutes using the breathing method.

You may be asking what is the breathing method?

When you are soaking your foot in the solution you will press on the affected nail and then release it. Perform this technique multiple times during the soak on each affected nail. This will almost act like your nail is breathing and ensure that you will get hydrogen peroxide in every nook and cranny of your nail.

This essentially increases effectiveness of the soak. Repeat this daily until you see improvement. People have seen results within as little as 3 weeks.

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How To Use It

One thing we can take from the scientific data is that various studies point to higher doses of light as useful in eradicating more of the fungal infection. Consequently, longer exposure times and closer exposure therefore leads to better results. As the fungal cells directly lead to inflammation, it follows that, in theory, higher doses of red light would potentially resolve the inflammation better than low doses.

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Do I Have To Limit My Activities After Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment

Laser toenail fungus treatment is a noninvasive method that doesnt require any downtime. Those who have this treatment done can go back to their regular activities without any restrictions.

• Our office offers LASER treatment for fungal nail infection using the FDA approved low level light laser from Erchonia. This is a safe class 2 LASER which uses a dual diode emitting light of 635 NM red laser light and 405 NM blue laser light. Treatment of both feet, is done simultaneously which requires 12 minutes per session. Four sessions, one week apart is required for best results.

• Laser light vaporizes the fungal cells and spores by passing light through the nail plate. The Laser light does not harm the skin and surrounding tissue.

• Laser treatment is generally not covered by health insurance companies, including Medicare. We offer a very economical treatment cost of $500 for four treatments which also includes disinfection of one pair of your shoes to reduce fungal contamination while you are being treated. Additional pairs can be done for $10 per pair.

• Cost is $500 total.

Insurance

Major Insurance Providers Accepted. Here is a short list of them. Please contact the office if you do not see your provider listed.

When To See A Doctor

In most cases, toenail fungus is considered a cosmetic problem. Still, it may cause serious complications for some people.

If you have diabetes, toenail fungus may lead to foot ulcers or other foot problems. According to a 2012 study, chronic toenail fungus is a significant risk factor for bacterial cellulitis of the leg.

If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, you shouldnt use home remedies for toenail fungus. Contact your doctor for the appropriate course of action.

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How Long Does The Procedure Take

• The amount of time varies on the degree of involvement of the nails. Very thick nails are mechanically reduced to a more normal thickness with specialized equipment. The laser is then applied typically taking only a few minutes. Overall, a visit for consultation and treatment will usually take about 30 minutes.

How Long Does It Take Uv Light To Kill Fungus

How long it takes to kill nail fungus using UVB light differ from person to person more especially is based on the severity of the nail fungus infection

but people with mild infection claim to kill nail fungus in one session but if you have a severe case you might need to apply it few times before seeing positive results.

How To Use A Hand Held UV Lamp For Nail Fungus?

It is important to read the instruction correctly and carefully before using your handhelp UV light because these devices they come with different instructions because they are not made the same.

As long as you do not use the lamp more than the recommended operating time ,then there should not be a problem.

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Getting Rid Of Nail Fungus For Good

• Getting Rid of Nail Fungus for Good

If youre dealing with nail fungus, rest assured that you are not alone. It can be quite a common condition that many people struggle with. You will likely notice symptoms of nail fungus yourself, but it can also be diagnosed by a dermatologist, which will examine your nails and nearby skin. Its important to check the skin because the fungus can spread. You may already have a skin infection caused by fungus, like athletes foot. In order to get rid of the infection, you will need to treat all infected areas. Keep reading to learn more about foot and nail fungus and how to treat it. You can do yourself a solid by trying out SteriShoe, a podiatrist-recommended UV shoe sanitizing insert that works by using its UV light to kill bacteria and germs that cause foot infections, shoe odor, and more. Learn more by touring our site and by shopping our products.

Nail Removal Home Remedies And Laser Treatment

In the most serious instances of toenail fungus infection, the toenail may be removed surgically or dissolved with acid. This can be done to just a portion of the nail in the hope that the remaining nail will grow back healthy. In cases where the entire toenail has to be removed, artificial nails and products using light-cured resins to form a temporary covering can be used to protect the underlying tissue until the nail grows back.

If you prefer to go the home-remedy route, such as applying tea tree oil or Vicks VapoRub to your nails, keep in mind that the effectiveness of these products for treating toenail fungus hasnt been well studied, and they are not recommended by podiatrists.

Finally, the Food and Drug Administration has approved several laser devices for temporary increase in clear nails in patients with onychomycosis. But while laser treatments are vigorously marketed, clinical trials of lasers have reported mixed results, and the treatments may not be covered by health insurance. If you wish to try laser treatment of toenail fungus, speak to your doctor about what to expect from the treatment, and call your insurance carrier to find out whether the treatment will be covered.

Additional reporting by Susan Jara.

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How Do Fungal Toe Nails Look

• Yellow or brown discolored nails
• Worm eaten
• Brittle or crumbling
• Overly thickened

Fungal nails can be unsightly and embarrassing. Often described as rotten nails, patients may describe their nails as varying in color, from a yellow through to a brown discoloration. The nail may also look like it is thickened or even eaten away.

Treatment to date has been limited with only expensive but often ineffective nail paints or prescription only heavy duty oral medication, which while effective, take a long time to work, and can have significant and sometimes very serious side effects for many people.

How Does Pact Work

PACT kills fungi by causing severe oxidative damage to fungal cells. Light photons of a specific wavelength interact with intracellular photosensitizing molecules that are applied as a dye to the cell wall of fungal cells. This dye is harmless to human cells but makes the fungal cells hypersensitive to a specific wavelength of light.

Once the light absorbs into the tissue and interacts with photosensitive molecules in the dye, this interaction causes the production of free radicals, which cause irreversible cellular damage in the targeted fungal cellsbut pose no danger to human cells.

As an antifungal, PACT is considered an emerging science. Most research has focused on lasers however, high-powered LED light sources offer the necessary light power output to ensure enough light photons will absorb into the toenail as well as the tissue around and under it.

A 2004 study of nine patients with a condition known as interdigital mycosis, which is infections between the toes caused by dermatophytes, yeasts, or bacteria, revealed that topical delivery of a specific acid called 5aminolevulinic acid, along with red light, led to recovery in six out of nine patients after one to four treatments. Since there were no follow-up treatments, researchers noted the recurrence of infection after four weeks in fewer than half of the patients.

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Will Clorox Kill Toenail Fungus

Fact Checked

Toenail fungus is an infection caused by the presence of fungi. Nail fungus often begins as a simple white or yellow area beneath the nail but can quickly progress to causing the entire nail to discolor, thicken and even crumble. There are several treatment options available for toenail fungus, but the use of standard Clorox bleach is a time-tested remedy that many people decide to use.

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

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Laser Therapy Treatment For Toenail Fungus

Laser treatment for toenail fungus is a widely popular form of treatment, and has been shown to improve the colour of the nails. The use of the term laser, is commonly used for all types of light therapy.

In our clinic, we use a form of concentrated light therapy called Photodynamic therapy . It is a form of phototherapy involving light and a photosensitizing chemical substance, used in conjunction with molecular oxygen to elicit cell death . PDT has proven the ability to kill microbial cells, including bacteria, fungi and viruses.

When the photosensitive agent is irradiated with a certain wavelength of light, it changes the energy structure of the photosensitive chemical and becomes very destructive to adjacent cells.

Risks of not treating toenail fungus include its migration to other parts of the body as well as skin cracks and openings that welcome infections. For diabetics with weakened immune systems, this could lead to amputation

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What Is Toenail Fungus Laser Treatment

Lasers have been used to treat medical conditions since way back in the 1960s, but its only in the last few years that lasers have been used as a treatment for toenail fungus.

Its a pain free, non-invasive treatment without any worrying side effects, and can either be performed by a podiatrist in a clinic or thanks to new technology- in the comfort of your own home.

And it kills toenail fungus within a matter of minutes.

How Do You Know When Toenail Fungus Is Gone

Nail fungus can be resistant to treatment and nails take a long time to grow out, so it can take several weeks or months for an infection to be fully resolved. You will know that the treatment is working and the infection is clearing up when you see growth of a new, healthy nail from the base of the nail bed.

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Fungal Nail Infection Laser Treatment

If youve noticed white or yellow spotting or streaking on your toenail and are worried youve picked up a fungal nail infection youre not alone!

Fungal toenail infections, medically known as onychomycosis, affect approximately 10% of the population in Australia. Unfortunately, this rate only increases as we get older, with up to 50% of people over the age of 60 having one or more nails infected.

Thankfully, My FootDr has taken advantage of the technological advancements in recent years, meaning that we can treat these fungal nail infections more effectively than ever before using anti-fungal laser treatment. This means no more daily creams, lacquers or tablets.

Can My Fungal Nail Infection Come Back

It can. Just like how you can stub your toe multiple times on different occasions, you may contract fungal nail infections on different occasions and from different places, too. As part of your care, we will discuss with you the best ways to keep your home environment free from fungus to limit your risk of reinfection from places like your shoes, socks and shower at home.

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What Are The Effects Of Toenail Fungus

A fungal infection has an effect on your toenail but usually takes a while to develop and spread so you might not notice it at first.

Here are some of the symptoms to look out for:

• Your nail becomes discolored often it turns yellow, brown, or white
• Your nail becomes thinker than usual
• Your nail shape becomes warped or twisted
• A white dot appears on your nail and becomes larger
• Your nail becomes brittle and breaks easily or crumbles
• Your nail gets flaky on the top or underneath
• Your nail loosens or separates from the nail bed
• You feel pain in your toe or foot
• Your nail has a weird smell

The fungus can also spread to your other toenails and the skin around the nail.

If it gets really bad, you can develop a bacterial infection too and ulcerations. This is quite dangerous if youre a diabetic. For some, it has even led to loss of their lower extremities.

It also doesnt look particularly visually pleasing and can make you self-conscious.

How Much Does Toenail Fungus Treatment Cost

There are many different lasers on the market to treat toenail fungus. Some come with very high treatment prices, and others much more reasonable.

The light we use at Custom Foot Clinic is a concentrated infrared light, which is much more cost effective than its counterparts. This allows us to offer treatment at a more affordable price.

Each treatment is billed individually and can be stopped at any time if requested, with no further obligation.

We usually recommend 4 photodynamic laser sessions with nail care. These treatments are typically covered under employee health benefits chiropody and podiatry services. Contact us for more information.

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Let Us Heal Your Fungal Toenail

Please at 832-7880 if you experience any type of foot or ankle pain foot pain is not normal! If you have foot or ankle pain or any concerns about your feet due to diabetes, please call Dr. Shawn P. Echard, board-certified podiatrist at Laurel Podiatry Associates. Our professional staff offers expert podiatry services at three convenient locations: Greensburg and Mt. Pleasant in Westmoreland County and Somerset in Somerset County. Please make an appointment today for a comprehensive foot exam.

What Are My Options

Successful treatment of fungus of the nail unit may reduce thickness, improve appearance, and make trimming easier. However, treatment is not generally considered medically necessary unless other factors are present such as diabetes, poor circulation, excessive pressure, or lack of normal sensation.

Options include:

• Not having treatment and living with the condition

• The use of liquid antifungals such as prescription Penlac which reports a 7% cure rate and 44% improvement rate.

• The use of prescription oral Lamisil which reports up to a 66% success rate with need for blood tests to monitor for possible liver damage.

• Laser treatment

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Different Methods To Use Chlorine Bleach For Toenail Fungus

To use chlorine bleach for toenail fungus, you can use two main methods:

• Soak your feet in chlorine bleach

Soaking your feet in chlorine bleach is one of the common ways to treat nail fungus. It is also the most effective method because it does not irritate the skin. Here is how to prepare chlorine bleach soak.

Fill up a tub or pan with water. At least one of your feet must fit easily in this tub or pan. Take about one cap of chlorine bleach and pour it into the tub. The exact quantity to prepare the soak is to mix one tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water.

Place your foot in the tub for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Dry your feet after this. You must soak your foot in this soak at least twice a day. If it causes discomfort or itching, then stop foot soak.

Adding essential oils to this foot soak can make it more effective. It includes tea tree oil, oil of oregano, or Epsom salt.

• Application of Chlorine Bleach to the nail

This is the second way to treat toenail fungus with chlorine bleach. Here is how to apply the chlorine bleach directly

STEP ONE: Apply petroleum jelly to your nail and its surrounding skin.

STEP TWO: All you have to do is dip a cotton bud or cotton in undiluted chlorine bleach.

STEP THREE: The take this cotton bud and apply it to the toenail with fungal infection.

STEP FOUR: Use the other end of the cotton bud or a clean, dry piece of cotton to remove extra bleach from the skin.

• Bleach pen

How Do Fungal Nail Infections Spread

Fungal nail infections spread through direct contact with someone who is infected, or through coming in contact with the same surface they have been in contact with, like floors, showers, socks and shoes. As fungus thrives in warm and moist environments, public pool and shower areas, gyms, and changing rooms are the most common places to contract a fungal nail infection. Once you have the infection, it can grow and spread to your other nails inside your sneakers or work boots. You may also contract Athletes foot in the same way.

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