Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus can be difficult to get rid of, but there are a variety of treatment options available for those affected by the condition. Topical creams are often used to treat less serious infections. Many of these creams provide what those seeking laser treatment for removal of toenail fungus mixed results. Unlike laser toenail treatments for nail fungus, many over the counter treatments and even some prescription medications may not be effective or strong enough to treat more severe cases of fungus nail.

Laser toenail treatments can help when other options simply will not work. When foot doctors are not able to prescribe anti-fungal oral medications, that are strong enough to get rid of toenail fungus, or are contraindicated because of a particular patients health or fear of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, rashes, diarrhea, headache, and dizziness, laser nail treatments may be the best solution for doctors to treat unsightly toe nail fungus.

Fungus Removal Options

There are a number of home remedies used to treat toenail fungus, which in some cases can have positive results. Common natural remedies include soaking the feet in vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, and applying tea tree oil to the affected toe nails. These types of remedies are inexpensive, and easy to use, but often have a fairly low success rate, especially in men and women with moderate to severe cases.

While still awaiting FDA approval for treatment of nail fungus, laser removal is a relatively new treatment that has now been made available in select doctors offices throughout the country. Laser fungus removal is a process that, as one would imagine uses a laser to eliminate the root cause—found beneath the toenails that lead to the development of toenail fungus. This treatment is completely pain free, and is believed by many podiatrists to produce comparable results to the before and after results seen with many oral medication, without the side effects that many prescription medications can cause. The procedure itself only takes about 30 minutes, where some other methods and oral medications may take as much as several months to be effective in removing nail fungus.