Good News With Using Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus

By Allyson Burke


This particular fungus problem is relatively common. Most people know someone with the condition. Laser treatment for toenail fungus seems to be an excellent way to deal with this problem. Although relatively new, the early results seem to be quite positive.

Toe fungus looks very ugly. It can cause the nails to become hard, thick, and discolored. It can also cause them to become very soft and start to peel. It sometimes results in the total loss of the toenail. It is more common in the elderly and is much more prevalent in males than in females.

The particular fungi that cause this condition are called dermatophytes. They tend to thrive in moist environments like the bath or the gym. It can affect one or several nails at the same time. It usually first appears as a small white spot. It can then quickly spread.

Before this technology became available, the typical treatments were either topical and/or oral medication. Neither of these solutions seem to work that effectively. The topical worked for around ten percent of the patients. The oral medication worked a little better, helping around fifty percent. The condition often reoccurs when either of these are used.

Lasers seem to be a much better solution for this condition. The doctor uses a special laser for a brief time period. This causes the fungi to heat up. It is then vaporized and killed. The doctor has the choice of using various wavelengths. He bases how much to use by looking at the severity of each individual patient's case.

The good news is that no adverse side effects seem to occur when this technique is used. In contrast, the oral medications did have some negative effects on some patients. This procedure can be done in the doctor's office. It usually takes approximately 20 minutes. Another positive is that neither the nail nor the toe is damaged when this technique is used. Shoes can be worn immediately after the procedure is done. Some more severe cases may take more than one treatment. The doctor should discuss this with you in advance.

Most medical insurance companies see this as a cosmetic procedure as opposed to a medical one. Therefore, most insurance will not cover the cost. You will need to fully discuss the cost with your doctor before he begins the procedure.

There have been promising results with using laser treatment for toenail fungus. It seems to be effective for about ninety percent of the users. It may take a long time for the healthy nail to grow back. More studies are being done to test for its long term results. With other types of treatments, the problem has come back with some patients. This procedure is so new that it is unclear if it will be a long term solution. However, so far it seems to be the best way available to deal with this condition. Be sure to talk with your doctor to see if he believes this is a good option for you to try.




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