Have you noticed your toenails changing shape or color? Have you been putting off seeing a foot doctor in Houston, TX for your toenail fungus? Let’s find out why treating toenail fungus is important. Laser Nail Therapy offers multiple convenient locations in the Houston metropolitan area to get a free diagnosis.

A toenail fungus infection usually starts with little to no symptoms. But as with many other serious conditions, if not treated right away it will result in progressively serious complications.

Serious Nail Damage

As toenail fungus infections persist and become more severe they may cause pay and permanent damage to your toenails. For some patients, the infection may spread beyond their feet if they have a suppressed immune system. This is usually due to certain medical conditions or medications. In addition to the physical symptoms that toenail fungus causes, it may also cause people to be extremely self-conscious and shy. This may lead to alienation for some. Toenail fungus causes embarrassment to most people which in fact will lead them to avoid public activities where they have to be barefoot.

Symptoms of Toenail Fungus

Yello, green, brown, or white discoloration of the nails is the first sign of toenail fungus infection. After that, the nails may become very brittle and start crumbling and falling off. Other times the nails may start growing very thick, and they may start looking almost like tree bark. This may cause pain, especially when wearing closed-toe shoes. Detachment of the nails from the nail bed is also very common which may lead to the nail getting caught in the surroundings and causing additional damage to the tissue.

Most commonly the infection starts on one toe and progresses to the others over time. Toenail fungus usually attacks people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, or after an injury. Nail fungus is very common, it affects 3-12% of the world’s population.

Toenail Fungus Specialist

Diagnosing Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus is not the easiest to diagnose especially if you’re not an expert. Other common foot problems may sometimes resemble a toenail fungus infection. Such other foot problems consist of psoriasis, melanoma, melanonychia, or even bruising of the nail tissue. Once properly diagnosed with toenail fungus you should then seek the best treatment option for you.

At our Laser Nail Therapy offices, our doctors have unmatched expertise in diagnosing and treating toenail fungus. We’ve treated thousands of patients successfully and always explain to patients the importance of prevention.

Best ways to Prevent Toenail Fungus

To prevent toenail fungal infections it’s essential to:

  • Know what an athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) looks like and treat it early and effectively.
  • Wear flip-flops and dry your feet well in all public areas.
  • Let your feet breathe. Don’t wear the same shoes every day.
  • Keep your toenails clean and trimmed.
  • Wear cotton or natural fiber socks and leather or breathable uppers in shoes.
  • For those at risk, use antifungal products daily.
  • Use separate nail clippers for your fingernails and toenails or clean them thoroughly between uses.
  • In wet and moist areas, don’t walk barefoot to prevent collecting fungi that are likely to be present on the floor.
  • Don’t share shoes with other people. This will help prevent transferring fungi to each other.
  • Before wearing socks, spray or powder your feet and the inside of your shoes. This will help to keep your feet and shoes dry and eliminate the buildup of fungus.
  • Wear anti-fungal nail polish to help avoid toenail fungus infection if nail polish cannot be avoided.
  • Wear waterproof boots and gloves to avoid prolonged moisture exposure to your nails.
  • Wear wide shoes with ample space for your toes. This will help to prevent moisture and trauma to your toenail (common reasons for toenail fungus).
  • Avoid foot injury and micro-trauma to your toenail (ex: playing soccer, going on long runs)
  • Only attend nail salons that have adequate levels of hygiene.

Treatment

Laser Treatment for a Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus treatments in Houston may vary. If you have caught nail fungus, it can be easily treated using the FDA-approved PinPointe laser, which typically only takes one treatment. Other treatments like topical solutions and oral medication are not as effective. Topical solutions have a very low cure rate. This is because the solution does not penetrate all the way through the nail bed.  This is because it can lead to liver toxicity. You would need to have consistent blood tests throughout the course of taking the medication. 

Our nail doctor in Houston, TX recommends PinPointe Laser treatment for toenail fungus. Our Laser treatment has the highest cure rate compared to all other treatment options. It has no side effects and no recovery period. As a result, you can go about your daily activities right after the treatment. Also, there’s no pain.

If you have any signs of nail fungus, call us at 800-672-0625 at our Houston, TX location, or visit our website for more information on our doctors at one of our over 150 locations.