What Else Should You Do To Ensure Successful Treatment
Since nail fungus is pretty hard to get rid of and to stop reinfection, there are a few simple things to do to help ensure that your laser treatments are as effective as possible.
- Keep your feet as dry as possible and expose them to light and fresh air often.
- Change your socks and shoes if they get wet. Keep a dry pair of socks available if there is any chance of your feet getting wet.
- If you are in public places like a pool or locker pool always wear flip flop or sandals.
- Trim your nails frequently.
- Use foot baths and soaks with tea tree oil
- If you get manicures or pedicures, bring your own tools so you can ensure that they are sterile.
- Consider using an Ultraviolet Shoe Sanitizer to help kill any bacteria that may linger in your shoes.
Does Laser Toenail Fungus Removal Work A 2020 Review
There have been a number of lasers on the market varying in type and by wavelength. Over the years there have been many laser companies claiming that they have good results. Still, to date there is no actual single protocol for laser toenail fungus treatments. The treatments vary by the company and by each individual doctor. As a result, there have been no solid studies to prove that the laser can cure toenail fungus. As a matter of fact, the FDA clearance for laser machines states that it is for temporary increase of clear nail in patients with onychomycosis.
With so many types of lasers and so many different treatment protocols, there truly is no way of knowing which types of lasers have better results and which protocols are best. In addition, there are no true studies to confirm the laser treatment effectiveness. When you combine all of that with the cost of laser treatments, it is difficult to recommend laser treatments for toenail fungus at this time. As noted in the studies above, traditional treatments were as good or better than laser therapy alone. There are many other treatments available to help with this condition.
Here at Gentle Foot Care Clinic, we will wait to see if new evidence supports the use of laser. At this time, we have found that it is not in your best interest to seek laser treatment and we will continue to offer traditional treatments for toenail fungus.
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How Effective Is Laser Therapy For Toenail Fungus
About 10 percent of U.S. adults, or approximately 23 million people, suffer from toenail fungus infection. But unfortunately, the treatments that have been around a while oral medications and topical creams often dont really do the trick. The fungus usually comes back within 12 months. Plus, these treatments can have negative side effects and may have a bad interaction with other medications.
Luckily, laser therapy for toenail fungus is now an option. Since 2010, more than a handful of laser devices have been FDA approved and are used with success by podiatrists as a safe, quick, effective form of treatment.
But what is the process if you use laser therapy for toenail fungus and what can you expect, you ask?
To answer your questions, weve put together some basics on toenail fungus and laser treatment. Keep reading for a quick overview, and then, give it a try to see how it works for you. Our goal and the purpose of laser therapy is to help you clear up those nails so they can grow back healthy and strong.
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How Much Does Laser Therapy For Toenail Fungus Cost In Toronto
Laser therapy is one of the best options for treating toenail fungus but how much does it cost? Honestly, thats a tricky question and it can be quite difficult to answer.
Laser therapy is a service and like every service, its hard to affix a fixed price without prior consultation. We can only provide a price range that is also constantly changing due to many factors.
Toenail fungus is extremely annoying and can be embarrassing. This is especially true for people who care about the appearance of their toes.
For some people, its not about aesthetics. Nobody wants to have to deal with fungus forever. Its painful and can cause permanent damage to your toes.
There are multiple treatment options to get rid of fungus infection on your toenail. However, for this blog, well only be discussing laser therapy. Today, it is the most effective solution to toenail fungus.
Since it is highly effective, its easy to wrongly assume the cost of laser therapy for toenails is expensive. This is one of the stereotypes well be addressing in this post. Keep reading for a comprehensive breakdown of the cost of laser therapy for toenail fungus.
How Does It Work
Laser treatment for toenail fungus works by aiming a 1064nm wave-length laser at the affected area.
The laser delivers light energy to gently heat the toenail bed and kill the toenail fungus and the fungal spores that spread the fungus.
It does this by attacking the fungus in two ways by altering the cellular metabolism of the fungus and damaging the cell components, and with a photo-chemical effect that further damages fungal cell enzymes, proteins and membranes.
In a nutshell? It literally zaps that pesky fungus out of existence.
After the laser treatment takes place and the fungus is killed it requires a little patience to see the results.
The damaged toenail needs to grow out and be replaced by a healthy, fungus free nail, which can take anything from 3 months to a year depending on how much of the toenail was affected.
Take a look at this video to see exactly whats happening under the nail:
DIY laser treatment works a little differently.
In order to be safe, the lasers in the home devices are a pulse laser with a shorter wavelength of around 900 nm which isnt powerful enough to heat the flesh but is still capable of penetrating beneath the surface into the skin tissue.
This is usually coupled with a blue light which works on fighting the fungus cells found on the outer surface of the nail helps to stop the fungus from affecting other toes in the area.
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Does Insurance Cover Laser Toenail Fungus Removal
Even though toenail laser fungus treatment is FDA approved and shown effective, it is unfortunately not covered by insurance.
- This means Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and other insurances do not cover laser toenail fungus.
- In our opinion, the cost is comparable to what the average co-pay would be, and research has shown that lasers are very cost-effective even though they are not covered.
What Is Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is a fungal infection called onychomycosis. Tinea unguium is another name for it.
Its an overgrowth of fungi that are often found on your body together with other bacteria. You can get the fungi from someone else too, like at a nail salon if the tools arent properly sterilized. Its the same fungi that cause ringworm, jock itch, or athletes foot.
The problematic infection happens when the fungi get in through the cracks in your toenails and start to overpopulate in, on, or under the nail. It just loves warm, moist environments and often finds that in your toenail, especially when you wear shoes. And its even happier if youre active and sweat in your sports shoes.
Onychomycosis can infect your fingernails too but thats less common since your hands arent confined to a warm, moist environment like your feet are.
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Effects Of Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment
If you are planning to undergo laser toenail fungus treatment, keep in mind that it isnt a cure. Since the fungus is living in the pores and cracks of the toenails, a lifestyle change is needed in order to prevent the infection to reappear. Therefore, laser toenail fungus treatment is only a part of the treatment in case of toenail fungal infection. Therapy also may include oral medication, or use of home remedies for toenail fungus such as Vicks Vapor Rub®, Listerine® or homeopathic toenail fungus treatment containing natural herbs and always should include a lifestyle change.
Laser Treatment Cost And Side Effects
You will find that using laser to treat toenail fungus is very costly and may range in hundreds of dollars. This may no be affordable to most people and insurance companies do not cover for the cost. This is due to the fact that there are other cheaper treatments which will help you cure toenail fungus. This makes laser treatment unnecessary according to insurance providers.
As long as you can afford to pay for laser toenail fungus treatment, there are no age or health restrictions. It does not have bad side effect like the drugs used in treating fungus. It can be the best option if you are allergic to any drugs.
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What Are Treatments For Toenail Fungus
Do you need to treat your nail fungus? Maybe it doesn’t hurt, and the yellow, thick nails don’t bother you.
But nail fungus doesn’t go away by itself. And if you don’t treat it, there’s a chance it could get worse. It could spread to other nails or through your body. It could cause pain when you walk.
There are a number of ways to take care of it, including:
Nonprescription options. You can buy antifungal creams, gels, and nail polish at the store and online without a prescription. You might want to try one of them first if the infection doesn’t look bad. Some people also swear by home remedies like menthol rub, tea tree oil, mouthwash, or snakeroot extract — but studies show mixed results.
Prescription polish and creams. Your foot doctor will likely trim your nail and file away its dead layers. They may also take a piece of your nail and send it to the lab to make sure itâs really a fungus and to find out what type it is.
The doctor might suggest an antifungal drug that you paint on your nails. This may work on its own, or they may suggest you take it with antifungal pills.
Prescription medications. One of several antifungal pills may help. They work, but it may take many months to do the job. They also come with side effects like nausea, vomiting, and headaches. They may cause liver damage too, so your doctor will watch you closely while you take them. Be sure to tell them about any other meds youâre taking — some antifungal pills might not work well with them.
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Cosmetics And Laser Center Appointments: 259
Cosmetic dermatologists have madegreat strides using laser treatment technology to treat nail fungus. Due to therisks associated with oral medications and the disappointing results fromprescription creams and polishes to treat nail fungus, these therapies arequickly becoming treatments of the past.
Clinical research trials show lasertreatment success being as high as 90% with multiple treatments, whereascurrent prescription therapies are about 50% effective. Laser treatment worksby heating up the nail layers specific to the fungus and attempting to destroythe genetic material responsible for fungus growth and survival.
What are the benefits of laser nail fungus treatment?
- Safe and effective
- Treatments are quick
- Minimal to no discomfort
- Excellent alternative to potentially harmful oral medication
What can I expect during and after the laser nail fungus treatment?
- Minimum of 2 treatments is recommended
- Treatments performed 5 to 6 weeks apart
- All nails in the area of the fungus are treated
- Laser treatment is used in conjunction with topical creams
- Fingernails require 3 to 6 months to regrow completely and toenails 12 to 18 months
- Results will not be seen until at least 2 months from the initial laser treatment
Is Laser Nail Fungus Treatment Effective
Before you schedule an appointment, your first question may be, is laser nail fungus treatment effective? Clinical studies show support for this treatments efficacy, and toenail laser treatments are approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. Looking at the clinical trial data/facts, laser nail fungus treatment is effective.
- A 2016 study by the FDA found that patients who received laser foot treatment displayed clear nails at three months and six months after treatment.
- A 2019 study published in the journal American Family Physician by the American Association of Family Physicians found that after 180 days of toenail fungus laser treatment, patients had a 30% cure rate and a 91% improvement in symptoms. The AAFP study also concluded that laser treatment is more effective for fungus removal than both over-the-counter and prescription topical and oral antifungal medications.
- In 2018, the journal Lasers in Medical Science published a study about the efficacy of laser treatment for fungus removal. These researchers reported a success rate of 83.7% among the patient population, who had infections that affected at least two-thirds of the nail.
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Laser Treatment Duration And Precaution
Laser treatment takes around 10 to 20 minutes to treat the infected toenails and the surrounding skin. After that, the nails become healthy and start growing back again. This treatment eliminates the fungus completely which ensures that that you do get infected again.
Laser treatment is effective for toenail infection and provides a chance for patients to get rid of the condition forever. However, you should talk to your doctor to make sure that you understand how it works. You can also get to know about other available options. This is important for your current overall body health and also in future. This will ensure that you eliminate the toe nail fungus in the right way. This will keep you with healthy feet which are a reflection of your body health.
If you have trouble with your toe finger infected with fungus, it is needless to pay attention and find timely solution to treat the fungal nail. Though there are good many ways to eliminate nail fungus, choosing the right course of toenail fungus treatment is with you. You should not fall a prey by keeping your infected nail untreated. Though the nail fungus is not threatening so much, ignoring the infected toenail can be detrimental to your healthy nail.
How Much Is Laser Toenail Fungus Removal
While laser toenail fungus treatment is FDA approved, very effective, and very successful, most insurance companies, unfortunately, do not cover it.
- See us for a no-obligation consultation to see if it is the right choice for you, as there are numerous options for toenail fungus treatment.
- See a toenail specialist like a podiatrist to see if this is the best option for you!
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How Does Laser Treatment Work To Treat Onychomycosis
It is into this environment that the use of lasers has been thrust. Of course, lasers are a very sexy, modern, technologically advanced approach to the treatment of a variety of human diseases. Lasers produce coherent light energy of a sufficient strength and of a specific wavelength, which when projected into tissue is differentially absorbed by the target material, producing heat and hence destroying tissues. Other tissue components are unaffected and so spared. Medical lasers are rather expensive devices, so treatments with these machines requires generally quite high fees to recoup the original purchase price of the equipment. It is proposed that some lasers might work by heating up the nail sufficiently to discourage fungal infections. Another approach to laser treatment of the nails uses a fractional CO2 laser to burn holes in the nail plate through which topical antifungal drugs can effectively penetrate.
Laser Treatment For Fungal Toenails
Do you have discolored thick toenails?
The most powerful Nd:YAG laser for toenail fungus and skin rejuvenation. GenesisPlus is the culmination of more than a decade of experience and one of Cuteras most advanced Nd:YAG laser systems.
A specially designed laser beams through the toenail and safely kills the organisms embedded in the nail bed that cause Onychomycosis more commonly known as toenail fungus.
The procedure requires one or a small number of safe, quick treatments with little or no discomfort and is performed as an outpatient service with no anesthesia. The gentle laser light beam has no effect on healthy tissue and treats only the infected area of the toe. No drugs or topical ointments are used, eliminating the total-body side effects of traditional oral medications.
Clinical studies show that the laser kills toenail fungus and promotes clear nail growth with a single treatment in better than 80% of cases. The laser treatment is safe, effective, and most patients improve usually after their first treatment.
What is GenesisPlus?GenesisPlus is a Nd:YAG 1064nm laser that has been cleared by the FDA to be both a safe and effective solution for the treatment of nail infection , more commonly known as toenail fungus. This laser is also a safe and effective treatment for scar reduction and warts.
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