Treatment of Onychomycosis
Toenail fungus is one of the most common foot complaints. For many it can be very embarrassing with yellow discoloration of the nails. The nails may also become thickened, crumbly and even painful and difficult to trim. At Anderson Podiatry center we have the most experience as we were the first to bring laser fungal nail treatment to the Rocky Mountain area.
Other treatment options may include.
Topicals
If you’ve tried these chances are you were very frustrated. Most patients, we treat have had multiple attempts using topicals for nail infection treatment with little or no success
Oral antifungals
Another option is the use of the oral medication Lamisil. However, it has liver toxicity so many patients are reluctant to use it and we seldom recommend it for this reason.
Laser nail treatment
This laser nail treatment is the option most of our patients prefer. Lasers destroy the toenail infection because it’s able to penetrate the nail bed where topicals just can’t penetrate. The heat created by the laser is what destroys the infection. The laser light pulses rapidly so there is little to no pain and no side effects. You can return to regular activities immediately.
Is laser toenail treatment effective? Here are some studies to back up its effectiveness.
Studies to back up high cure rates.
The following clinical studies show support and toenail laser treatments are approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. Here are some clinical trials /studies to show laser nail fungus treatment is effective.
- A 2016 study by the FDA found that patients who received laser 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 laser treatment, patients had a 30% cure rate and a 91% improvement in symptoms. This study also concluded that laser treatment is more effective for the treatment of toenail fungus 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 success rate of laser nail treatment. 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.
So how does laser therapy work?
The laser nail treatment is painless although you may feel some warmth as the treatment is performed and if you do the technician will simply move the laser to another area of the nail. Also, if the nail is thickened it will be ground down, so it is much thinner allowing the laser to penetrate better. Thinning the nail is painless and patients appreciate the improved appearance after it is done. Many will start to see clearing of the nail which usually starts at the base as soon as 4-5 months. At 9 months you can expect to have maximum effect from a treatment as this is how long it takes for a nail to grow. The number of treatments that are needed can vary and your doctor will help you determine this.
Why choose Anderson Podiatry Center for laser toenail treatment?
We were the originators of this treatment option in the Rocky Mountain area. I think you’ll discover that our staff is well trained and yes, they are passionate about improving the looks of your nails. Please consider this option to maximize the chances of eliminating your icky toenails. We have two convenient locations when looking for ‘nail laser treatment near me’. Watch our patient testimonials and information videos on laser nail fungus treatment on youtube.
Laser Nail Treatment Device by PinPointe
