At Laser Nail Therapy in Leesburg, VA, our foot doctors use the PinPointe YAG Laser. It heats the nail plate and kills the fungus and fungal spores inside and under the nails. Laser Nail Therapy specializes in toenail fungus treatment. Call our office today if you are dealing with fungal toenails. Don’t suffer another day with the embarrassment of discolored, thick, or brittle nails.
What causes a toenail fungus infection?
The fungus can live in the layer of dead skin around your nails, in the space under your nail, and in the nails themselves. Fungal nail infections often result from damage to the nail plate or the surrounding area. Skin infections or athlete’s foot invade the nail, causing the infection. Up to 30 percent of patients with fungal nail infections also have fungal skin infections. Hot, sweaty feet in fully enclosed shoes provide the ideal warm, damp environment for fungus to grow and multiply.
Factors that increase the risk of nail infections are:
- nail damage (e.g., activities that cause trauma to the nail)
- medications that weaken the immune system
- smoking
- general poor health
- walking barefoot in public areas
Medical conditions like diabetes and poor circulation can create the potential for worsening conditions such as secondary bacterial infections. The fungus can thrive when the foot is contained in warm, damp shoes for a long time. Poor foot hygiene, walking on contaminated floors, and the use of badly sterilized nail cutting and filing equipment are other ways the feet can be exposed to the fungus.
What identifies toenail fungus?
Toenail fungal infections can cause permanent deformity of the nails. This can interfere with wearing shoes, walking, playing sports, and doing other activities.
Infected nails often show one or more of the following signs:
- Discolored streaks in the skin under the nail or nail bed.
- The buildup of bits and pieces of skin and nail fragments under the nail.
- Thickened nails that may separate from the skin under the nail.
- Brittle and easily breaking nails.
- White spots or streaks on the nail surface.
- Soft and powdery nail surface, which appears as the infection worsens.
- Distorted-shaped Toenails.
- Dull toenails without luster or shine.
- Dark-colored toenails are due to fungus debris building under the nail.
- Splitting of the nails.
Easy tips to prevent Toenail Fungus
If you’re looking to avoid getting toenail fungus, follow the following steps:
- Wash your feet daily with soap and water.
- After washing your feet, make sure to dry them thoroughly.
- Cut your toenails straight across with clean nail clippers.
- Wear shoes in areas where fungus can grow. (For example, swimming pools, spas, or locker rooms.)
How does the treatment work?
After the consultation, the doctor will go over each of your nails with the laser light in a grid pattern. The laser light wavelength targets the fungus, causing the fungus to die due to heat damage. Since the laser light targets the fungus, it will not hurt the nail or surrounding skin. Treatment is painless for most patients; usually, only a slight warming sensation or a pinprick is felt.
In more severe cases, before the laser treatment, the doctor will file the nail down to make it as thin as possible. This makes the treatment more effective for nails that are very thick.
What should I do before Laser Nail Therapy in Leesburg treatment?
We ask our patients to remove all nail polish and nail decorations the day before treatment. This is important so the doctor can properly diagnose you. Bring a clean pair of socks to change into after your laser nail treatment appointment if wearing closed-toe shoes.
How many treatments will I need to get rid of my toenail fungus?
In most cases, only one treatment is needed. Thick or severely infected nails can require additional treatments to clear up. If more than one treatment is necessary, patients who purchased our post-treatment-care products package will be given a discount for their next treatment within 1 year.
What is the best way to treat Toenail Fungus?
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 Toenail Fungus Specialists in Leesburg, VA recommend this treatment for toenail fungus. The PinPointe Laser treatment has the highest cure rate in the market. 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 Leesburg, VA location, or visit our website for more information on our doctors at one of our over 150 locations.
