At Laser Nail Therapy in St. Louis, MO, 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.
How to know if you have Toenail Fungus?
Toenail fungus, aka Onychomycosis, is simply a fungus infection of the toenails.
Toenail fungus infection infects the toenail, nail bed, and even the root of the nail. The infection usually starts by infecting the nail through a cut or injury.
Common symptoms of a toenail fungal infection:
- Discoloration
- Yellowing is the most common one. Also, it does not necessarily have to be your entire nail discolored
- White streaks
- In severe cases, the nail can become brown or black in color
- Brittleness
- Nails begin to crack or break
- Thickening
- Makes it hard to trim and maintain your nails
- Separation of the nail from the nail bed
- Usually only seen in severe cases
Once the infection becomes more severe, it may start causing pain. It may also make it extremely uncomfortable to wear closed-toe shoes.
What identifies toenail fungus?
Toenail fungal infections can cause permanent deformity of the nails. This can interfere with being able to wear shoes, walk, play sports, and do 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 due to fungus debris building under the nail.
- Splitting of the nails.
Treatment Options for Toenail Fungus
Natural Home Remedies for Toenail Fungus
Some of these natural remedies include tea tree oil, Vaseline, other essential oils, alcohol, salt water, and many commonly known remedies to treat infections and bacteria. These products are fairly easy to find, but they are not as effective because they do not target toenail fungus. These remedies do not kill toenail fungus, and if they were to kill it, it would take a very long time to see any results. Additionally, it is difficult for them to penetrate through the nail into the nail bed where the fungus resides. Lastly, concentrated essential oils actually irritate or damage the skin. This is a bigger risk when essential oil use is prolonged, which is likely since they are ineffective at eliminating fungus.
Natural remedies are an easy and doable form of treatment. Many people might think that other options might cause other health problems, like oral medication, which can cause liver toxicity. These natural remedies may help in mild cases, but they are not effective for most people with toenail fungus. As a result, natural remedies would not be the best treatment option as it is not effective. Although natural remedies only treat the surface of the nail, it does not cure the fungus as they do not penetrate all the way through. There are other treatment options that can cure your toenail fungus.
Oral Medications for Toenail Fungus
Oral medication for toenail fungus is a common treatment option. There are many different treatment options available on the market for toenail fungus. These treatments all come with their pros and cons, and most medically recommended treatments have some ability to cure fungus. However, some come with more danger than others. Specifically, oral medication for toenail fungus comes with more danger than other treatments on the market. These medications come in the form of pills that you take daily for a few months to try to kill the fungus from the inside of your body.
The main danger that these oral medications come with is their side effects. Side effects of these medications can be less severe, like itching and burning of the skin or headache. Side effects can also become more severe with these medications, and this is where the danger comes in. In rare cases, oral antifungal medication can have side effects, including heart damage and liver toxicity. These medications can even lead to liver failure in certain cases. Because of this, you will need to be tested regularly throughout the course of antifungal medication to ensure that you are staying healthy. This testing should also be done before you first start taking these medications to ensure that you aren’t at an increased risk to your heart or liver.
Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus
Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment in St. Louis is the best treatment option. Our PinPointe FootLaser is used to kill the fungus that lives in and under the nail in all of our offices. The laser passes through the nail without causing damage to the nail or the surrounding skin. When you get the procedure, all the fungus is killed, but you will not see your nail become instantly clear. This is because the nail is already damaged. You will see the results as the nail grows out. The use of the PinPointe FootLaser for the treatment of nail fungus was cleared by the FDA on October 25, 2010.
How does the laser 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 it 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, prior to 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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis, MO 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 St. Louis, MO location, or visit our website for more information on our doctors at one of our over 150 locations.
