Laser Treatment Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus is a common, frustrating, and particularly pesky condition millions of Americans deal with on a daily basis. It can cause your nails to become discolored, thick, brittle, and separated from the nail bed.

If left untreated, it can lead to infections and other complications. However, even when toenail fungus treatment appears to be successful and visible symptoms subside, repeat infections are a frequent occurrence.

Don't Ignore Toenail Fungus

Treating nail fungus can significantly reduce the chances of recurrent infection.

Severe toenail fungus may cause permanent damage to your nail, while infections can spread beyond your feet, particularly in individuals with diabetes or suppressed immune systems.

Some cases of toenail fungus can be resolved with at-home or over-the-counter anti-fungal remedies.

But many fungi put up a tenacious fight or progress to a point where professional treatment is the only way to solve the problem.

Fortunately, we offer several options that can make toenail fungus a thing of the past. One of those options is laser therapy.

What Is Laser Therapy For Toenail Fungus?

Doctors use lasers to treat a wide range of conditions, including toenail fungus. It is a safe, proven, and effective way to eliminate fungal infections.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared and approved several types of laser treatment options to address the condition. Here’s how it works.

The physician will direct a carefully calibrated laser device to the affected nails. The laser emits pulses of energy that produce heat.

That heat penetrates the nail and makes its way to the nail bed where it gasifies, decomposes, and destroys the fungus, as well as the surrounding skin and nail.

The sterilizing effect from the heat also can prevent the fungus from returning. 

Multiple treatment sessions, around three each lasting about 30 minutes, are usually required to destroy toenail fungus. That is because the energy emitted by the laser is kept at a relatively low level to ensure safety.

That means it doesn’t emit enough energy to destroy all the tissue—or all of the infection – in one session.

Does Laser Therapy For Toenail Fungus Work?

Most patients experience noticeable improvement with laser therapy for toenail fungus, and there is a high cure rate as well.

One study showed a 61% cure rate at 16 weeks, while another study showed 91% clinical improvement and a 30% cure rate at 180 days.

These are better outcomes than topical medicine, where there is approximately 45% improvement, as well as oral medications, where there is about 40% to 66% improvement.

Want to Get Rid of Toenail Fungus? Call JAWS Podiatry Today!

Our experienced podiatrists at JAWS Podiatry in Hollywood, Florida know how frustrating toenail fungus can be.

We welcome the opportunity to help you solve this common problem.

For a personal evaluation and to learn more about our toenail fungus treatment options, including laser therapy, please contact our teams or call us at (954) 922-7333.