How Does Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment Work
Laser toenail fungus treatment delivers laser energy that destroys organisms that cause this fungus. The laser light beams that enter the toenail are able to target and eliminate the source of fungus while also promoting the growth of new, healthy toenails. This provides an effective form of treatment that kills fungus at the source, which lowers the risk of having toenail fungus come back. However, individuals should keep in mind that since this fungus is present in the environment, its possible for another infection to occur.
What Is Laser Toenail Fungus Therapy
What is the process of laser toenail fungus removal? Today’s laser technologies allow a podiatrist to perform a laser procedure to address ongoing toenail fungus problems. This treatment therapy offers patients suffering from constant fungal infection-related toenail problems the chance to finally be fungal-free. How does it work? Toenail fungus therapy works by using the lasers beam to create heat, in turn killing the organisms that are causing the toenail to be infected.
Toenail fungus often thrives at the base of a nail. Laser therapy penetrates both the toenail and the soft tissue. This not only immediately kills the hard-to-target fungus, it also promotes new and healthy nail growth. When it comes to how long it takes for laser toenail fungus therapy to work, most patients can expect to fully heal within 6 to 9 months.
For Diabetics Toenail Fungus Is Especially Dangerous
Diabetics typically can have reduced blood circulation and nerve function in their feet. So any relatively minor foot condition, including a nail fungal infestation, may lead to more serious complications for diabetic patients.
Given all the above symptomology, it follows that harm from toenail fungus isnt confined to your anatomy. The displeasing aesthetics and negative aroma can lead to significant self-consciousness, and a determination to hide your feet at all costs. You discard all your sandals and open-toed shoes. There goes your summer at the beach.
Pretty dismal, right? But dont give up hope. Effective help is available.
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What Is The Procedure For Treating Toenail Fungus With A Laser
The lasers that are used for fungus eradication target the organisms that live beneath the nail without causing damage to the surrounding skin and tissue. In contrast to topical treatments, light may enter into the toenail to reach the infection.
Professionals may file your nails before the operation in order to prepare the region for the laser treatment. Before your visit, you should remove any nail paint or decals that may have been applied to your nails. Even though the treatment is usually always painless, you may experience some warmth or sensation on the nail bed while it is being performed.
Laser devices create pulses of energy that cause heat to be generated. When treating onychomycosis, the laser is focused in such a way that the heat penetrates through the toenails to the nail bed, where the fungi is located.
It is necessary to elevate the localized temperature in this sort of therapy. As a result of the heat, the affected tissue gasifies and decomposes, eliminating the fungus as well as the adjacent skin and nail tissue. A sterilizing effect is provided by the laser heat, which serves to inhibit the establishment of new fungus colonies.
When the laser is directed towards the site of infection, the heat generated by the laser prevents the fungus from growing and eventually kills the fungus.
The Fungus May Return After The Treatment
For first-timers, there is a high likelihood of an infection recurring. This is not a question of how effective laser therapy is for toenail fungus. Rather, it is as a result of bad hygiene or contracting it from someone else.
If you follow precautionary measures strictly, the fungus infection wont return. Frequently getting laser therapy for toenail fungus reduces the chances of the infection recurring.
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One Treatment Session Is Sometimes Enough
Most of the time, using laser therapy to treat toenail fungus can be successful with only one session. When the case is mild, itll only require a single treatment.
Meanwhile, severe cases may require two or three treatments before the fungus is eliminated. If this is you, space your treatment sessions by a month and spread them across three months.
How Does Laser Therapy Work
In simplified terms, the laser therapy device shines a laser light into the toenail, penetrating down on, in, and through the nail to reach the fungus. It vaporizes the fungus. It also leaves the skin and tissue around the fungus alone.
Essentially, the laser device is set at a certain wavelength that only the fungus will absorb. When it penetrates the fungus, it destroys it.
If we want to get a little more technical, there are a few ways it can destroy fungus depending on the laser. Most lasers use photothermolysis that causes photomechanical or photothermal damage. We like the non-thermal laser therapy as it is pain-free since it doesnt use heat. It is still absorbed by the fungus only and damages the structure of the fungus.
But what you need to know is that laser therapy has been proven effective in clinical trials and because of this, the FDA began clearing laser devices.
As with all the treatments, you wont see the results right away. You have to wait until your nice fungus-free nail grows in. This will take months. But youll start to see the difference as the new nail comes in.
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Precautions That Influence How Laser Therapy Works
Your knowledge of how laser therapy for toenail fungus works is incomplete without knowing the precautions. One advantage of these precautions is they can fight the causes of the infection before your treatment.
- Carefully exfoliate your toes and feet to remove dead skin cells. In the process, you may remove fungus present in dead skin tissues.
- Carry an extra pair of cotton socks to wear after your treatment session. You risk reinfection if you wear the same socks you wore to the initial treatment.
- Trim your toenails before your treatment sessions. Some infected toenail parts may be removed in the process.
- Clean your nail polish before your procedure. Failure to completely clean your nail polish can hinder the results of the procedure. Nail polish restricts the laser from penetrating the nail bed.
Also, how you care for your nail afterwards determines the results you get. Patients who go back to habits that caused the fungal infection are likely to have it resurface. Below are things to do after your laser therapy sessions.
- Dry your feet after taking a bath or a swim.
Laser therapy treatments for toenail fungus allow patients to be comfortable removing their shoes in public. Toenail fungus can give off an offensive smell which is often embarrassing.
With proper care of your shoes and toes after your treatment session, you can eliminate the foul smell. Also, be sure to follow additional instructions you may receive from your medical aesthetician after your procedure.
What Are Other Treatment Options For Toenail Fungus
Common treatment options for toenail fungus include taking oral medications, applying topical antifungal medications, or a combination of both. Medications prescribed be a podiatrist offer a higher rate of success. Patients who don’t respond to prescription medicines may need to undergo laser toenail fungus therapy to effectively treat the toenail fungus.
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Toenail Fungus Laser Treatment
Toenail Fungus Laser Treatment is the leading technology for treating the unsightly appearance of thick yellow toenails. More and more people are looking to laser therapy for toenail fungus instead of conservative measures to rid themselves of their discolored, brittle toenails. Youd be amazed at what Dr. Loren Colon and his colleagues do with lasers. The advances in laser technology have greatly benefited the field of podiatry.
The latest laser technology delivers a gentle laser light beam that has no harmful effects on healthy tissue. In fact, it targets only the infected area of the toenail complex. No drugs or topical ointments are used, thus eliminating side effects that often accompany traditional oral medications. The board-certified podiatric physicians at American Foot & Leg Specialists are experts in treating toenail fungus and believe in this latest, advanced form of treatment.
White Island Nail Fungus
As the name implies this fungus is a unique type of toenail fungus. It does not penetrate deep in the toenail root.
It resides in the plates of the toenail. These toenail fungi are dangerous as it will eat away the entire nail and then enter your nail.
The symptoms for the white-island fungus are the following.
- Nails coming off quite easily.
- Discoloration, in this case the nails become green or yellow.
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New Laser Treatment Now Available For Toenail Fungus
GenesisPlus A Safe Effective Treatment for Toes and FeetDr. Fillerups office now features the Genesisplus laser for Podiatry. Genesisplus is an FDA cleared laser treatment 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.
OnychomycosisGenesisPlus is a quick and comfortable way to clear the nail without drug therapy. Clear nail growth can be observed as early as 3 months following 1 or 2 fifteen minute laser treatments.
Scar ReductionGenesisPlus is used to treat and accelerate scar remodeling, improve redness, thickness and enhance cosmesis. Genesisplus also softens and relaxes the tension in scars, improving mobility for the patient.
WartsGenesisPlus provides the power needed for effective treatment of warts. Studies with GenesisPlus demonstrate a higher clearance rate than other common therapies*. JkoreanMedSci2009
A New Laser Treatment for Nail Fungus
What treatments are available for nail infections?Current treatments options for nail infections include oral drugs, topical drugs and laser. No single treatment is effective in all patients and there are risks and benefits associated with each one. Be sure to discuss all your treatment options with our doctor.
Treatment Session Time– A single treatment session takes approximately 40 minutes to treat 5-10 nails. Treatment times will vary, so please ask your doctor for more information.
+ Images Of Toenail Fungus Laser Treatment Before And After
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Benefits of Using Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus Early Studies Show High Efficacy Rates Though laser toenail removal is a fairly new removal method, having been introduced into the medical community in the mid
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Laser treatment for toenail fungus works by aiming a 1064nm wave-length laser at the affected area. … Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before
Laser treatment isnât covered by insurance, though, and it can cost a lot. Toenail Fungus Home Care Sometimes itâs possible to treat your toenail fungus at home.
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How Does The Aerolase Toenail Fungus Laser Treatment Work
The compact, lightweight Aerolase® laser is extremely effective at removing nail fungus with maximum efficacy, while avoiding damage to surrounding tissue. The procedure is harmless and it eliminates treatment pain and the need for continuous skin cooling, or direct skin contact with the laser. The unique MicroPulse technology packs the necessary energy for effective nail fungus treatment. The number of laser treatments varies with every patient. The board-certified doctors at American Foot & Leg Specialists will asses the severity of your infection and determine the number of treatments you require.
What Are The Problems With Oral Remedies For Toenail Fungus
The side effects take center stage. They include headache, nausea, diarrhea, and sometimes serious systemic reactions. Some of those side effects are so potentially hazardous that constant monitoring of liver function is required.
Another drawback of ointments and oral remedies for toenail fungus is the extended duration of treatment. Toenails grow slowly. The nail on a big toe can take well over a year to completely replace itself. So the traditional remedies must be administered for a correspondingly lengthy time period.
Even after successful treatment, fungal colonies often reestablish themselves.
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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.
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.
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What Are The Best Reasons To Choose Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus
A big reason people are opting for this treatment is that it removes the need for oral medication, says Dr. Bruse. Oral medication needs to be taken daily and its not 100% effective for everyone.
Additionally, topical ointments and creams dont do a great job at removing fungus. Fungus is very difficult to eradicate. It can invade the nail through a tiny crack in the skin or even a small separation between the nail plate and nail bed. Dr. Bruse says that laser therapy for toenail fungus kills the fungus with heat therapy. The laser penetrates the full thickness, eliminating the infection. Were seeing an 80-85% success rate using this treatment. Best of allits nearly pain-free. Check out the video below of Dr. Bruse performing laser fungus removal on a patient.
To summarize, laser fungus removal is a superior option for most patients because it is:
- Quick and painless
What Is The Cost Of Laser Therapy For Toenail Fungus
There isnt a specific price for laser therapy for toenail fungus. However, most medical spas charge about $600-$1000 per treatment session. Also, some clinics charge patients per toe. One factor that influences the cost of laser therapy for toenail fungus is the number of treatment sessions.
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How Many Treatments Do I Need
The number of laser treatments you will require is determined by the number of infected nails, severity of the fungal nail infection, your age and general health. Your podiatrist will advise on the number of laser therapy appointments recommended for your treatment at the initial consultation. On average, most fungal nail infections will require between 5 7 treatments for effective eradication.
If over the counter creams and tinctures hasnt worked or if taking oral medication poses too much risk to your health, laser therapy would be an excellent choice for you to consider. Its a no fuss, pain-free and quick solution for fungal nail infections. Contact us today on 9711 7562 if you have any questions or you can easily book online for an appointment. We look forward to seeing you at The Footcare Clinic.
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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