This nail condition is a relatively common one. You may suffer with it yourself, or you may know someone who suffers with it. The good news is that laser treatment for toenail fungus is showing some very promising results. It is a somewhat new procedure, but so far, it seems to be doing a good job.
Advanced stages of this nail fungus are not very attractive. The nails often become thick, hard, and discolored. They often will have a yellow color to them. The nails also tend to be very soft, and can start to crumble or peel. If left untreated, the whole toenail can be lost. This condition is seen most often in the elderly. It seems to be seen more often in men than in women.
Dermatophytes is the technical term for this specific type of fungi. Fungi best thrive in conditions that are moist and wet, such as in a shower or gym. Often more than one nail is affected. The first signs of a problem are usually small white spots on the nail. It has the ability to spread to other nails rather quickly.
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.
Using lasers to treat this condition seems to have much better results. The doctor uses a specific type of laser for only a short time period. It heats the fungi, and then vaporizes and kills it. Varying wavelengths are available depending on the needs of each individual patient. The most severe cases may need repeat treatments.
No obvious negative side effects have been found for those choosing this technique. The medicines that were used to treat it in the past did sometimes have bad side effects. The entire procedure is done in the doctor's office. It usually takes around 20 minutes. Another very positive thing about using this particular technique is that the nail or toe is not damaged in any way. You may wear shoes as soon as the procedure is completed. Be prepared that you may need more than one treatment. This is decided by the severity of the problem. Your doctor can work with you to decide just how many treatments will be best for you.
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.
Laser treatment for toenail fungus has shown some very promising results. It seems to have cleared up the nails for at least 90 percent of the patients. Even though the unhealthy nails clear up rather quickly, be prepared for the new nails to take a while to grow back. Also, since this is a relatively new technique, it is unknown if the results will be permanent. Studies are still underway, however, at the present time, it appears to be very effective. Discuss any questions you may have with your own doctor.
Advanced stages of this nail fungus are not very attractive. The nails often become thick, hard, and discolored. They often will have a yellow color to them. The nails also tend to be very soft, and can start to crumble or peel. If left untreated, the whole toenail can be lost. This condition is seen most often in the elderly. It seems to be seen more often in men than in women.
Dermatophytes is the technical term for this specific type of fungi. Fungi best thrive in conditions that are moist and wet, such as in a shower or gym. Often more than one nail is affected. The first signs of a problem are usually small white spots on the nail. It has the ability to spread to other nails rather quickly.
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.
Using lasers to treat this condition seems to have much better results. The doctor uses a specific type of laser for only a short time period. It heats the fungi, and then vaporizes and kills it. Varying wavelengths are available depending on the needs of each individual patient. The most severe cases may need repeat treatments.
No obvious negative side effects have been found for those choosing this technique. The medicines that were used to treat it in the past did sometimes have bad side effects. The entire procedure is done in the doctor's office. It usually takes around 20 minutes. Another very positive thing about using this particular technique is that the nail or toe is not damaged in any way. You may wear shoes as soon as the procedure is completed. Be prepared that you may need more than one treatment. This is decided by the severity of the problem. Your doctor can work with you to decide just how many treatments will be best for you.
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.
Laser treatment for toenail fungus has shown some very promising results. It seems to have cleared up the nails for at least 90 percent of the patients. Even though the unhealthy nails clear up rather quickly, be prepared for the new nails to take a while to grow back. Also, since this is a relatively new technique, it is unknown if the results will be permanent. Studies are still underway, however, at the present time, it appears to be very effective. Discuss any questions you may have with your own doctor.
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