Article by:
Amelia Grant
Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the toes that affects a high proportion of the population. Dermatophytes, a type of fungus that changes the color, shape, and thickness of the nail, eventually destroying it totally, are the main cause of this infection.
Until recently, treatment choices were restricted to topical creams and lacquers, as well as oral medication, both of which had slow results and were harmful to the liver. Today, medical developments have enabled us to have a new and effective method - laser, which heals nail fungus swiftly, safely, and without side effects.
The cutting-edge technology is used to treat onychomycosis, plantar warts and papillomas, neurovascular helomas, persistent plantar keratosis, postoperative recovery, analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapy, and other foot dermatological disorders. You can access the treatment by googling ”laser treatment for toenail fungus near me”.
The laser beam is administered to the infected nails and surrounding skin in alternating horizontal and vertical passes, and the treatment is repeated numerous times to ensure that no region is left untreated. The laser radiation creates a regulated heating action that penetrates the nail bed, killing fungus while not injuring the surrounding tissue.
Depending on the number of damaged toes, there are multiple therapy sessions that last an average of 30-40 minutes. The sole cure is to remove the current nail fungus, which is incredibly difficult even after laser treatment. There are 20-25% who never recover due to the coexistence of fungal infections in the skin and require additional reviews to remain healthy after initial treatment is completed.
The procedure is painless, though you may feel some heat in your nail because the laser needs to heat the fungus in order to fight it.
No, laser therapy for toenail fungus is completely safe and has no negative effects. However, it is not permitted during pregnancy, in patients with pacemakers, or in patients using photosensitive medicines.
To achieve complete fungal elimination, four treatments lasting 15-20 minutes are usually suggested. Although, if the infection is extensive, a second round of treatment may be required in certain people. Because the frequency of therapy is critical, you should not miss scheduled visits as this has a negative influence on treatment.
You can return to your daily activities immediately, as, it was mentioned before, the procedure doesn’t cause any side effects.
The treated nails improve within a few weeks of treatment, but you must follow some easy guidelines to prevent the fungus from reinfecting the skin or nails.
The removal of the infection does not always change the look of the nail, which could be due to earlier injury or damage induced by the fungus itself. Mycological cure and clinical nail repair are the goals of onychomycosis treatment. Because the nail grows slowly (0.1 mm per day for fingernails and 0.03-0.05 mm per day for toenails), it will take months to restore their regular appearance.
Negative laboratory findings (there is an additional payment for this option) are the last test of mycological cure. Relapses after treatment are common and can be caused by reinfection, inadequate elimination of the original fungus, or failure to follow the podiatrist's aftercare advice.
A nail can take 12-15 months to develop, and the results may not be noticeable for three months after the last laser therapy. The nail may become reinfected after therapy or even during treatment; therefore, it is critical to follow the aftercare instructions.
