6 How Does Laser Toenail Fungus Removal Work?
8 Is the Laser Treatment A Good Idea?
An infection known as Onychomycosis occurs when fungi, infects toenails. At the onset of this infection white or yellow spots appear on the tip of finger or toenails. As the infection progresses the fungus spreads deeper into the nails and causes them to thicken and become discoloured and distorted. Nail fungus is seen to affect toenails more than fingernails.
In some cases a toenail infection leads to the nails becoming brittle. Though this infection in most cases is not painful, the infected toenails become disfigured and can lower one’s self-confidence due to its unsightly appearance.
Nail fungus is often confused with athlete’s foot, which is known to affect the skin of the feet. However, these are different conditions though they may co-exist at the same time.
Toenail fungus treatment can be difficult and frustrating. People tend to ignore nail fungus as the condition is painless. However one should look out for symptoms of nail fungus and begin treatment early on.
Owing to the advances in the medical field, there is more than one method to cure toenail fungus. A medical practitioner will diagnose the severity of the function and decide the right course of treatment for the infection.
While the above are the most commonly used methods to treat toenail fungus, laser treatment for nail fungus has gained popularity over the past few years. Laser treatment for nail fungus is relatively painless and helps eradicate nail fungus effectively.
A number of doctors today recommend laser treatment for nail fungus over oral medications that carry a risk of liver damage. The latest laser treatment involves using cold laser beams that vaporize nail fungus caused by wearing sweaty trainers.
Unlike the conventional laser treatments that use hot beams to treat an affected area, these new handheld devices employ a special type of intense light that zaps nail fungus.
Why More and More People Are Opting for Laser Treatment?
A recent survey came up with alarming statistics that show that about 3-9% of the human population are affected by toenail fungus. This is predominantly seen in men though several cases of toenail fungus have been reported amongst women as well. Though known to be an age related problem, it has been observed that people who do not follow a good personal hygiene contract this infection.
Though the laser treatment is at present not covered by insurance, an increasing number of patients are opting for laser treatment as a nail fungus cure, owing to its high efficacy.
Laser toenail treatment may be the new and painless way to get rid of annoying toenail fungus. Although this procedure is fairly new when it comes to nail fungus, the use of “lasers” (acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) in various medical treatments has been around for quite some time.
Every year, close to 35 million people in the United States suffer from cracked, yellow, infected toenails caused by a small organism called a dermatophyte. It is a real problem and one that some people carry around for many years before finding a solution.
Most people that have toenail fungus elect to ignore it since it is normally a cosmetic issue and not one that generally threatens your health. Those that decide to get rid of it quickly find out that the task is not that simple. Home remedies like Vicks Vaporub, Listerine, and others seldom complete the job.
The other major issue, and one that makes the fungus so hard to kill is that it is normally under the nail and difficult to reach. That is why some sufferers will love the concept of laser toenail treatment.
Basically, laser toenail treatment utilizes a specialized laser that is able to pass light through the nail’s surface without damage to the skin or nails and kill the fungus directly. The process can be completed in one trip to your doctor’s office and you don’t have to worry about side effects, long term visits, or prescriptions.
If you are tired of dealing with the pain of toenail fungus, and the embarrassment of not being able to comfortably wear sandals in public, laser toenail treatment may be a great option.
In this current era of technology, staying up to date on the latest innovations in foot care is vital to ensure that we’re giving our patients the very best solutions available. The world of treatments for nail fungus has changed dramatically with the introduction of nail laser therapies. This new process far outstrips the success rates of topical and oral medications while ensuring a safe and hygienic treatment. At Foot & Ankle Associates, we employ the use of nail lasers to provide our patients with a simple, pain- free, way of eliminating that embarrassing toenail fungus.
What Does the K-laser Do?
Without being able to immediately discern the effects of nail laser treatments, patients have been sceptical of its ability to treat fungal conditions. In recent years, nearly 80% of the treatments given to patients with nail fungus have been successful in eradicating the disease and patients have been able to see the results firsthand.
This laser uses specific and concentrated light wavelengths to promote increased circulation and growth in damaged tissue cells. It also has an effect on increasing the growth of new tissue cells. By increasing circulation through the laser energy, more blood, oxygen, and nutrients are brought to the infected toenail, therefore giving the tissue more of the necessary ingredients than would normally be available. Because the feet and toes are furthest from the heart, your body has to work extra hard to get these items to them. The K-Laser focuses on eliminating the source of the infection and can also help reduce any swelling or inflammation.
The toenails are typically filed down to allow a greater saturation of light into the tissues. Each infected and uninfected toe will be treated to ensure the best results possible. Patients are able to resume normal activity immediately following the procedure.
Why Should You Choose Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy for fungal toenails kills the infection at the source. Once treatment has been administered, a healthy toenail is able to grow and replace the ugly infected toenail. Also, once you have received this treatment, we will provide you with the information you need to prevent it from coming back. Due to the success of laser therapy, we recommend it to most of our patients.
If your toenail fungus is intensifying, getting treatment early is best. As an infection progresses, the number of treatments and amount of work needed to treat the problem also increases. Many patients will come in with advanced situations. In these cases, laser therapy has proven to be very effective.
When people think of lasers they tend to imagine a burning death-ray designed only to kill; our nail lasers are nothing of the sort. The beam projected by this device has a specifically tuned frequency and wavelength designed to vaporize fungus growing along the nail plate. This unique light force is then able to eradicate the condition without producing any damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. During the procedure, patients may detect a warm tingling in their toes, but the treatment is free of any irritation. Nail laser treatments have become the pinnacle of fungal infection solutions due to their increased effectiveness and lack of side effects.
Many topical treatments and oral medications can have dangerous side effects, such as liver disease, in their treatment of fungal conditions. The best thing about our nail laser procedure is that it has no known side effects. The focused frequency and wavelength of this laser is so finely tuned that it safely passes through healthy tissue without causing any kind of damage. There are many different kinds of lasers designed for this procedure and you should feel free to contact our office with any questions about them.
Full recovery of this condition may take up to nine months as a new, healthy nail grows in to replace the old infected tissue. Results will be visible at the base of the nail within three months of the time of treatment. At this point, a return visit is recommended to provide patients with the best tools to aid in their uninterrupted recovery. A topical medication may be prescribed in conjunction with this procedure to ensure the best results.
Treatments will last anywhere from 3-9 minutes depending on size and severity of the area being treated. The number of treatments will have to be individually and specifically discussed based on your condition. In some cases, patients have felt pain relief immediately after their first treatment! Every case is different, however.
Toenail fungus is an embarrassing condition affecting over ten percent of the adult population. Along with being painful, toenail fungus is not attractive, causing many to refrain from wearing open-toed shoes such as sandals. Moreover, it can also be spread from person to person.
There are new oral medications available today to treat this condition, although some of these medications can cause liver damage and other side effects. They also must be taken for several weeks. Another exciting new treatment that is proving to be easy and effective is the toenail fungus laser treatment.
Toenail fungus is difficult to treat. When the fungus infection occurs, it burrows deep into the nail causing the nail to become thick, yellow and crumbly along the edges. This particular type of fungus that develops more on toenails than fingernails thrives in dark, warm and moist environments. The fungus can invade the nail through microscopic cuts around the nail or through the area between the nail bed and nail. Because of its deep penetration into the nail, treating nail fungus with topical treatments is often ineffective.
Oral medications fight the infection from inside out, but do carry the risk of unwanted side effects. The new laser treatment for toenail fungus is proving to be very effective and carries no risk of side effects.
Laser treatment is not something new. It has been around since the 1980s although the previous toenail laser treatment was invasive and required the podiatrist to use the laser to drill a hole in the nail so medication could be administered through this entry point. This technique was used to provide a better chance of the medication to directly reach the fungus and destroy it. Unfortunately, this type of laser treatment for toenail fungus, known as fenestration, was not too successful. The toenail fungus remained to some degree and the treatments were quite expensive. Nevertheless, this led the way for other laser treatments that have significantly improved and do not require invasive drilling of the nail.
The new and modern toenail fungus laser treatment consists of a laser that uses laser light energy, which is directed at the fungus to destroy it, without damaging the nail or the surrounding skin. Basically, this laser uses heat to kill the fungus, but does not harm other tissue. The procedure is completely painless, without side effects.
This laser treatment for toenail fungus was approved by the FDA in September of 2008 and is available today by many podiatrists. The entire laser treatment takes less than 30 minutes. Results are not immediate, but a new fungus-free toenail will grow out in less than a year. Treatments are effective 88 percent of the time.
Although the laser treatment for toenail fungus is mostly effective, it is also a bit pricy. One treatment can cost about $1,200 and treatments are not covered by insurance as they are considered cosmetic treatments. Although the cost of a laser treatment is somewhat high, some are willing to pay the price to finally look down and see healthy toenails once again.
Ingrown toenails are painful conditions that usually affect the big toe. It can make walking difficult, wearing shoes nearly impossible, and there is the chance for infection to set it which can cause further complications.
If you are suffering from an ingrown toenail and the pain is unbearable, home treatment has not worked, you are diabetic, it is infected or you have poor circulation, you need to get it treated by a doctor. You can visit your own family doctor or you can find the nearest podiatrist, a doctor who is a specialist in feet injuries and conditions.
He or she will probably remove part of the nail or possibly all of it, and there are three main ways they will do that. Using surgery, (minor and done there in the office) a chemical, or the option we are looking at in this article, using a carbon dioxide laser for ingrown toenails.
What Does Carbon Dioxide Laser for Ingrown Toenails Involve?
If the doctor uses a carbon dioxide laser for ingrown toenails, an injection is usually first given at the base of the toe to numb it. Some may also use a small tourniquet. The laser is then used to remove the edge of the nail that is growing into the toe and it also cauterizes part of the nail matrix. The doctor may use to ablate meaning to remove, and the removal of part of the nail is referred to as partial nail avulsion or partial matrixectomy.
The cauterization means that part of the nail will not grow back; the matrix is the part that grows the nail. This means chances of getting another ingrown toenail on that nail are very slim as the nail grows about a millimetre narrower than it used to.
If the doctor feels that the whole nail needs to be removed this is called full nail avulsion, full phenol avulsion, phenolisation or a full matrixectomy. Instead of a nail, skin will grow over the area, and if you are concerned about wearing sandals, and how it looks you can try fake toenails for special occasions and you can put nail varnish on it still.
Carbon dioxide laser for ingrown toenails is becoming a more widely used option by doctors. After the procedure there is a small amount of pain for one or two days. Stitches are usually applied and removed a week after the ingrown toenail is treated.
Why Use Carbon Dioxide Laser for Ingrown Toenails?
It is safe, quick and easy to do and has a low recurrence rate. After the treatment there is some discomfort but patients are able to get back on with their lives fairly quickly. The laser sterilizes as it works so there is hardly any risk of infection and most patients feel that this treatment is less painful than the traditional surgical removal procedure. The infrared beam is gentle and vaporizes only that part of the nail targeted and the growing cells.
Also called a CO2 laser it was first invented in 1964 by Kumar Patel. They are the highest power continuous wave lasers which produce a beam of infrared light. As well as being used in medicine they are used for industrial purposes, for engraving and in the military. Other medical uses include skin resurfacing, dermabrasion, removal of podules or bumps.
How Does Laser Toenail Fungus Removal Work?
Laser toenail fungus removal is one of the best procedures available for the treatment of fungal infection of the toenails. About 80% of the Americans suffer from toenail fungal infection and they are in search of a permanent and effective treatment modality and the laser toenail fungus removal has come to their rescue.
The laser used in the laser toenail fungus removal is an infrared ray which penetrates deep into the affected area and kills the pathogens causing fungal infection of the toenails. The infrared rays used in the laser toenail fungus removal should be pinpointed over the affected area only so that the affected area alone is burnt leaving the other healthy tissues intact.
The laser toenail fungus removal treatment can be done for all the toenails and it hardly takes 10 to 30 minutes per toenail. This procedure is time saving and effective. After the laser toenail fungus removal treatment you can wear your socks and shoes immediately.
The laser toenail fungus removal treatment is a painless procedure. There is no need of any anaesthesia prior to the procedure. However, some patients may experience some heat which is bearable. There is no pain during and after the laser toenail fungus removal treatment.
The intensity of laser emission in laser toenail fungus removal treatment depends upon the severity of the condition. The operating physician should be competent enough to decide the time duration and the number of sittings for the laser emission in laser toenail fungus removal treatment.
If you have mild infection then the physician may decide for a single sitting. If there is severe infection, then the physician may decide for 5-6 sittings. The laser toenail fungus removal treatment is very effective even from the first sitting.
The laser toenail fungus removal treatment is an effective treatment modality where there are positive results from the very first sitting. About 88% of the patients who have under gone laser toenail fungus removal have reported normal growth of the affected nail within 6 months of the treatment.
The cost of the laser toenail fungus removal treatment ranges from $200 to $500 per sitting. The laser toenail fungus removal treatment is a costlier but yet effective treatment for toenail fungus infection. The procedure is not covered under the insurance also.
The laser toenail fungus removal holds advantage over the regular local ointment application, oral pills etc., in that there is no need for frequent application and long term treatment. The laser toenail fungus removal literally has no side effects.
When you take the regular oral pills there is a chance for liver and kidney damage as there is systemic involvement. Therefore you may need to have frequent blood tests to confirm that your liver and kidney are functioning properly.
Pinpoint laser toenail fungus treatment (also spelled pinpointe) is a very new treatment option for those suffering with the infection. Before sufferers had to choose between home remedies that are not always effective, over the counter treatments or prescribed medication from a doctor that comes with serious potential side effects.
But now there is also pinpoint laser toenail fungus treatment. Having a toenail fungus infection can actually have a surprisingly big impact on your life. It makes the area more sensitive and painful, and the unsightliness makes summer time when everyone else is wearing sandals embarrassing. It affects how you feel about yourself and therefore impacts on your social and work life.
Pinpoint laser toenail fungus treatment is very easy to do. There is none of the hassle of making foot baths or remembering to do applications several times a day for months. You visit the office, for most just one visit is enough, for others a few may be needed if the infection is severe.
There is no real pain; the doctor using the laser exposes the fungus to the laser light which kills it. Plus unlike other treatments which struggle to reach the fungus under the nail, Pinpoint Laser toenail fungus treatment gets deep to where the fungus is in the nail bed. There is no damage to the surrounding skin or tissue. A visit takes less than 30 minutes and so far studies show a 90% success rate. Healthy growth of the nail will be visible within 3 months, and the whole nail should be healthy within 6 to 9 months.
Dr Toback of Hudson Valley says, “This technology is like no other available today. It is performed in one treatment, right in the comfort of our office, without pain, drugs, or anaesthesia… This procedure is so greatly needed for our patients. Besides the obvious embarrassment of having these nails, they often cause pain, infection and bone spurs.
In the past many of our patients were prescribed pills that were not easily tolerated, had many side effects, including potential life threatening liver problems. To say, we can now address this problem safely without medication is nothing short of amazing.
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.
The laser toenail removal treatment is an effective treatment too. There is normal nail growth within 3-6 months whereas you have to wait for months to years for normal nail growth with the other modes of treatments. The laser toenail fungus removal literally has no side effects.
There is no fear of getting your liver and kidney damaged with the laser toenail fungus removal as there is no systemic involvement. With the other medications like the oral pills there is systemic involvement and hence there is a chance for liver and kidney disorders. So you may need to have frequent blood tests to check your liver and kidney functions whereas there is no need for such tests with the laser toenail fungus removal treatment.
When you use topical applications like tea tree oil extract, lavender oil etc., you may need to apply it frequently throughout the day and also for days with the results being almost negative. With the laser toenail fungus removal, you don’t have the problem of frequent application as it is a onetime treatment with the results almost 100%.
After the laser toenail fungus removal you can wear your shoes immediately and you may continue your work normally. There is no need of any hospital stay. You can just visit your doctor, get your laser toenail fungus removal done within minutes and you can start for your work immediately.
It’s interesting that 80% of the treatments given to patients have been successful at eradicating the disease. I have always worried that I would get this disease and not know how to treat it. It’s great that there is a ways to get rid of it, and it sounds like something from the future.