Learn Everything About Laser Treatment For Nail Fungus
Laser treatment for nail fungus is useful to get out of this painful condition. This is a miserable disease that may drastically change the appearance of your nails and cause unbearable pain. Laser treatment for nail fungus could be of two types,
- One That can be done with light.
- Second, where fungus on nails is treated with CO2
This procedure has been approved by the FDA for use in the treason of the United States.
It usually takes a series of laser therapy sessions for nail fungus to be eradicated.
Some studies suggest that six to eighteen months of consistent laser treatment sessions are necessary for optimal results. One of the potential risks of laser treatment is increased pain, loss of blood, or maybe both.
Before getting to decide whether you have to get the laser treatment for nail fungus or wanna go with other methods, you first need to know how the procedure takes place and what its effectiveness of it.
Let’s begin with it;
How It Works
During the laser treatment for nail fungus laser is aimed toward the nail bed, where the fungus is believed to be hiding out, in order to cure it with a successful outcome.
In this laser treatment for nail fungus, lasers with the below wavelengths are used;
- 870 nm
- 930 nm
- 1320 nm
Often CO2 lasers or yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) lasers, are used to increase the temperature in the targeted area to cure. To eliminate the fungus and protect the surrounding skin and nails, the heat forces the afflicted tissue to gasify and disintegrate.
- The sterilizing heat from the lasers also prevents the spread of infection and new fungal growth.
- When a laser is focused on a fungal infection, its intense heat puts a halt to the infection’s spread and destroys the fungus.
Unfortunately, The energy delivered by laser treatment for nail fungus, even when administered correctly, is not sufficient to eliminate infection or all of the affected tissue.
As a consequence, it’s not uncommon for patients to need to go through the same treatment process many times.
Although the fungal infection may persist in part after treatment, the medication will likely slow the illness’s spread and kill off some of the bacteria responsible for it.
Laser Therapy is More Successful Than Other Tradition Treatments
It has been shown that laser therapy is typically more effective than traditional approaches for treating it. Treatment options, such as topical (skin) and oral (ingested) antifungals, are available both without a doctor’s prescription and with one.
While effective in certain cases, oral antifungals are associated with systemic adverse effects and only provide limited relief from onychomycosis.
Topical treatments are low-risk overall but low-performing individually.
Onychomycosis may be improved by oral medicine by 40% to 66% and by topical therapy by about 45%, according to studies.
There seems to be a wide range of success with these treatments. Regular usage might be challenging if you want to prevent any unintended consequences.
Additionally, using a combination of treatments may be more effective than relying on a single kind of treatment. 5 Effective Treatments for Nail Fungus in 2022
FDA Authorised Devices are Used For The Process
- PinPointe Footlaser
- GenesisPlus
- Noveon.
The licensing criteria state that these tools have the potential to provide a “temporary increase in clean nails in patients with nail fungus. There is a high success rate and a noticeable improvement for most patients after laser therapy.
Case Study
In one study, researchers discovered that 61% of patients were cured after 16 weeks. At 180 days, another study found a 30% cure rate and a 91% improvement in clinical symptoms.
A high rate of negative culture results after laser therapy shows that a fungal infection may be difficult to detect by conventional means.
Successful treatment of fungus on nails is indicated by the disappearance of infection-related symptoms and the absence of fungus in cultured samples of the toe or adjacent skin.
What to Expect During The Procedure
- Initial consultations for laser treatment for nail fungus will lead to the proper analysis of the area to decide the nature of the treatment. To confirm a clinical diagnosis of nail fungus, a sample of the affected nail will be obtained for microscopic inspection.
- You’ll get laser treatment for nail fungus by a medical professional in the category, a dermatologist or podiatrist, depending on what you need.
1. First You Will Go With The Cleaning Process
- A debridement, in which your fungal nails are cut and dead skin is cleaned away, may be performed on the same day as your laser surgery, or a few days before you go for it.
- Your foot will be cleaned with a sterile solution and positioned so that the laser can focus on it just before the procedure begins. The laser will be shifted over healthy nails if there is a chance that the fungal infection has spread there.
2. Choosing Between Wavelengths Will Be Done By Your Doctor
By pulsing the laser or selecting certain wavelengths, we can limit the amount of heat it creates on the skin and hence the danger of adverse effects. Less than 30 minutes is typical for a session of laser treatment for nail fungus.
3. Healing Process Would Be Painful, But It Will Still Work
Tissue breakdown may be painful and can result in blood loss, but the skin will repair itself in a few days.
In order to speed up the healing process, your doctor will go through the proper steps to take in order to keep your toe clean and dry.
4. It Will Take Approximately A Year To Grow Out Completely
Some patients may just need one session of laser treatment for nail fungus to feel better, but the final report may still need ongoing sessions.
When a nail infection is treated successfully, it might take up to a year for the nail to completely grow out before you can determine whether the infection has healed up.
Result of The Treatment
- As a result of treatment, the damaged nail or nails may regain their original color, and any discoloration, such as yellowing, whitening, or browning, may disappear.
- The nail will grow out with the typical thickness, lumpiness, and smoothness of a freshly formed nail.
Final Words
There are several factors to think about while deciding on laser treatment for nail fungus. Medications, whether applied topically or taken orally, may have unwanted side effects and need ongoing care, often with little results.
Additional laser treatment for nail fungus may improve outcomes, but scheduling many sessions might be inconvenient.
Since the cost of this therapy is often not covered in full by medical insurance, financial considerations may also play a role. Think about the pros and cons of each choice before having that conversation with your doctor.
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