Is Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus Effective

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What Are Fungal Toenails

Toenail fungus is a condition where a fungal infection is present in or under a patients toenails. The fungus causes the toenails to become thick and yellowed. The fungus can also cause the toenail to grow abnormally, which can result in discomfort or ingrowing nails. Athletes are more vulnerable to fungal toenails because they use communal showers at training facilities and because their feet are continually kept in tight, sweaty shoes. People with a compromised immune system are also more vulnerable to fungal infections in the toenails.

Fungus Treatment Laser Device By Cure Ex

Cure-Ex is one option if you are looking for an at-home treatment device. Cure Ex combines two types of radiation: low-level laser pulse radiation and visible blue light. Cure Ex goes after the fungus spores that are under the nail and can kill off the fungus. It can be used on all infected toes or fingers without any worry of the fungus being transferred. The Cure-Ex has a laser wavelength of 906nm with a blue light wavelength of 470nm. The laser intensity is 22W. You would use it on affected areas minimum once a day for 7 minutes per area. The unit will turn off automatically when the treatment is finished for each area, and you can safely move it to another toe or finger if more than one needs to be treated without having to clean the device . It is a simple unit to operate all you need to do is press one button to start the treatment.

Some users see results by the 4th week of treatment, although to cure and prevent future fungus you must use the device daily a minimum of 3-4 months. Cure Ex was developed by expert professors and podiatrists. It has been approved by the Ministry of Health, European CE mark and now is in the process of registration of the FDA.

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What Is A Typical Appointment Like

I tried everything to get rid of my toe fungus. I received laser treatment last spring, and now theyre clear and healthy!

At the time of treatment, you will be brought into our treatment room where a trained laser technician will give you a pair of safety goggles to protect your eyes from the laser. In less than fifteen minutes of laser therapy, the existing Fungus/Dermatophytes will be killed. The results are not immediate however, it can take up to 3-4 months to see the initial clear nail growing out as it can take anywhere from 6-12 months for a nail to grow out completely.

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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Preventions After Laser Treatment For Toenail

If you wish to stay safe in the future too and want to secure your money, then keep yourself safe from further future fungal infections.

Here is what you can do to keep yourself safe.

• Wet feet can cause toenail fungus, you must dry your feet with towel or tissue papers after a wash. Moisture can invite the fungus present on your skin. You must have noticed that when we stay in bath for a prolonged period, the skin of our nails swells, and this is when the fungus tries to sweep in.
• Change your socks if you experience a lot of sweat on your feet. You must prefer wearing synthetic socks over cotton socks in such cases.
• Do not wear tight shoes, always wear shoes with a breathable material.
• Always use the anti-fungal spray in summer, it would not cost you much.
• Do not try to cover your nail with nail polish once it gets infected. It will worsen it.
• Do not cut your skin around your nails as it is the natural protective barrier.

Why Choose Arizona Foot Doctors For Nail Fungus Removal

At Arizona Foot Doctors of Scottsdale, we use the safe, effective PinPointe FootLaser for gentle, painless toenail laser treatment. Each appointment lasts about 30 minutes, and you can go right back to your regular activities with no downtime. After laser foot treatment, our podiatrists will recommend follow-up visits to assure that the nails are recovering and determine if additional treatments are necessary. When you schedule a consultation with our team, youll learn more about laser toenail fungus cost and what to expect during the procedure.

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Is There Any Medical Evidence Suggesting That Laser Treatments Actually Work For Fungal Infections In Toenails

Asked by Deb 2229 votes

A

Laser treatments for nail fungus have become fairly common since the procedure was approved by the Food and Drug Administration four years ago. Several kinds of laser therapies are now available, but there is limited evidence that the treatments work.

The appeal of lasers is that they selectively heat and destroy harmful fungi while sparing healthy surrounding tissue. And some small studies and lab tests suggest they can kill the fungi and cure the condition.

But in one of the best studies to date, published last year in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that laser treatments produced no improvements in patients with toenail fungus, even after five sessions.

The procedures are generally not covered by insurance, and a course of treatment typically involves multiple sessions, each costing hundreds of dollars, said Dr. Andrea Bershow, the director of the nail procedure clinic at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

I think we want it to work, but the evidence just isnt quite there yet, said Dr. Bershow, who that reviewed current research. The studies that have shown efficacy have been small, they havent been randomized controlled trials, and most of them have been funded by the actual laser companies themselves.

Dr. Bershow is frequently asked about laser treatments, but she never recommends them.

Do you have a health question? Submit your question to Ask Well.

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Is There Clinical Evidence To Prove That Laser Treatment Cures Nail Fungus

Today there is significant clinical evidence to prove beyond any doubt that laser treatment dramatically improves the condition of even a severely infected toenail. As an example, in a recent study conducted on 72 patients over 3 months, follow-up showed that over 90% of the patients were cleared of all fungal infections.

Why Choose University Foot And Ankle Institute For Your Foot And Ankle Care

The physicians of University Foot and Ankle Institute have decades of successful experience diagnosing and treating toenail fungus. Our nationally recognized foot and ankle specialists offer the most advanced podiatric care and the highest success rates in the nation. We are leaders in the research and treatment of all foot and ankle conditions.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call 736-6001 or visit us here to make an appointment online.

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Study Of The Use Of Low Level Laser Light Therapy To Treat Toenail Fungus

Information from the National Library of Medicine

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms

Initially, a white dot shows up on the nail, which increases in size with time. When fungus builds up under the nail, it can cause:

• Nail thickening or cracks

• Thick yellow toenail fungus.

How do fungal nail infections spread?

• Fungal nail infections are often contagious from nail to nail
• Direct contact with an infected person
• Through sharing surfaces like floors, showers, socks, and shoes.
• The fungus requires warm and moist environments for growth. Public pools, shower areas, gyms, and changing rooms are the most common places for contracting a fungal nail infection.

What are the Risk Factors?

Factors that can lead to an increased risk of developing nail fungus include:

• Old age: reduced blood circulation, more years of fungus exposure, and slow nail growth
• Heavy sweats
• History of athletes foot
• Walking barefoot in damp areas, like swimming pools, gyms & shower rooms
• History of a skin or nail injury or a skin condition like psoriasis
• Patients with diabetes, circulatory problems, or a weak immune system

How Is Laser Treatment Performed

• Before the appointment, Remove nail polish or decals from nails
• Before the procedure, technicians may file your nails to prepare the area for the laser.
• The foot is then cleaned using a sterile solution.
• The laser is maneuvered over the affected nail.
• Pulsing the laser or using selected wavelengths helps minimize the heat effects of laser on the skin and reduces the side effects.
• The procedure usually takes 15 minutes.
• Treatment is usually painless, but as the tissue decomposes, the chances are that warmth or tingling and rarely pain and/or bleeding can occur, but the skin heals in a few days.
• After the toenail laser treatment, most patients exhibit new nail growth without any damage to surrounding tissues. It usually takes 6 months to 1 year to return to a normal, healthy-looking nail.
• A cosmetic restoration procedure can also be performed over the existing nail to restore a healthy-looking appearance until the time a new nail grows and takes the place of the infected nail exiting out.
• Even though the fungus is eliminated by laser, there are still chances of recurrence. However, with a continued weekly application of a topical antifungal polish, re-infection is unlikely.
• Toenail fungus worsens and spreads with time. Treatment must be initiated as early as possible to avoid any complications.

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Types Of Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus

There are basically two types of laser treatment for the toenail fungus.

Lets know these through a comparison chart to better understand these and to know the difference too.

Laser Treatment For Nail Fungus Did Not Prove Effective

Becker and Bershow reviewed the scientific studies of laser therapy for toenail fungus and found no effective results in randomized, controlled, clinical trials. In addition, the therapy was not painless and recurrence of fungal infection was high.

However, the authors of the literature review acknowledged that reinfection is so common with nail fungus that it is possible that reinfection, not recurrence of the original infection, was responsible for the unpersuasive results.

Another study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, noted that laser treatment did not produce a cure when tested on humans with toenail fungus. The researchers noted that only one kind of laser light was tested. Nevertheless, they stated about their results: In vivo treatment did not result in onychomycosis cure meaning that the testing of laser treatment on human patients did not produce a toenail fungus cure.

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Is The Laser Treatment A Good Idea

There is a wide spectrum of treatment options for fungal toenail infection among which the laser toenail fungus removal treatment is the best.

The laser toenail fungus removal is a better option for you if you really care to have a clean and beautiful foot. Even though the fungal infection of the toenail is not so painful it is cosmetically disfiguring with yellowish and ugly looking nails. The laser toenail fungus removal is simple procedures where the laser beams are directed or focused over the infected nail and kill the pathogens responsible for the infection.

The laser toenail fungus removal is the treatment of choice if you wish to get your nail cured and get a new nail within a few days of treatment. The laser toenail fungus removal is a short and effective procedure.

The laser toenail fungus removal takes hardly 10 minutes per sitting. The number of sittings is decided according to the severity of the infection. If the infection is mild then you may need only 1 or 2 sittings whereas if the infection is severe it may be 5-6 sittings.

The laser toenail fungus removal is a painless procedure. The infrared laser beam is directly focused on the infected area leaving the underlying healthy tissue intact. Hence there is no pain in laser toenail fungus removal.

Do Home Remedies Work

Because Dermatophytes exist under the hard nail bed, home remedies have a very tough time being effective. Topical creams and other remedies such as Tea Tree oil, Listerine, Olive Oil and even Vinegar while having therapeutic values such as antibacterial properties or a softening effect on the nails. They are unable to pass through/penetrate the nail itself and target the nail bed where the fungus resides, and as such there are low percentage solutions.

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How And Why Do You Get This Fungal Infection In The First Place

Were all exposed to plenty of fungi and often nothing happens. Thats thanks to our immune systems. But if something weakens our immune systems or gives them an extra run for their money, the fungi may win.

So, a compromised or weakened immune system of any kind is often the culprit and increases your risk of getting a fungal toenail infection. A diabetic or someone whose blood flow to the feet is compromised, for example, weakens your bodys ability to do its thing in your toenails. An injury to the toenail can also make it tougher for your body to fight off fungi.

Men tend to get toenail fungus more than women. Its also seen more in older people if their immune system weakens. If you smoke, youre at a higher risk.

If someone in your family has it or someone you come into contact with a lot does, youre usually at a higher risk too.