Onychomycosis - or nail fungus - is a common toenail infection that affects an estimated 3 to 12% of the world population. At first, this condition might not be much more than a mild annoyance. However, if left untreated, it can compromise the health and growth of your toenails, create severe discomfort, and affect your overall quality of life.
What’s more is that toenail fungus is often left untreated but, contrary to common belief, it does not go away on its own - and even standard topical treatments can take over 18 months to show results!
Luckily, you don’t have to just live with it and bear the discomfort. Here at the Dr. Jeffrey Kleis DPM podiatric clinic, we use cutting-edge laser treatments combined with over 25 years of experience in fighting onychomycosis to help you restore the health and appearance of your toenails. Discover what to expect from our laser toenail fungus treatment below.
How Does a Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment Work? An Overview
Toenail fungus laser treatment is a type of onychomycosis treatment that allows you to permanently get rid of the fungus affecting your toenail. Dr. Jeffrey Kleis DPM will use a cutting-edge laser device to deliver targeted low wave energy pulses to the area affected by the fungus, thus destroying its DNA.
The energy distributed under the nail bed neutralizes the fungus while leaving the surrounding tissue intact. In just one or two 20-minute laser treatment sessions, the fungus is entirely neutralized, restoring the health and look of your toenail while preventing future infections. And, you don’t need to deal with pain, long treatments, or recovery times!
The Benefits of Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment
Laser treatments options are the best type of toenail fungus treatment. These bring much higher chances of success and promote the healthy growth and development of the toenail. But there are even more benefits you should look forward to - check them out below.
Leave Creams, Drugs, and Lotions Behind
Toenail fungus infections don’t heal by themselves, and many people affected by it deal with this condition for several years! In some cases, this is because the fungus is left untreated. However, even among those that opt for standard topical treatment, the chances of success are extremely low.
Traditional toenail treatments include:
- Oral antifungal drugs (such as terbinafine and itraconazole) - this treatment can take 6-12 weeks, and results are only visible when the toenail grows back, which can take 4-8 months. The chances of oral antifungal treatment success are limited, but they are even lower if you are 65 or older.
- Antifungal nail polish (such as ciclopirox) - this treatment is applied on top of the nail and can take longer than a year to show results
- Nail cream - medical or antifungal nail creams are rubbed into the affected area. Treating the fungus with nail creams can take over six months and show limited results.
There are many reasons for the low chances of success of these treatments. Firstly, you will need to remember to take your medications every day for weeks or months at a time. Secondly, results are limited and visible after a year. And, lastly, some treatments such as oral antifungal drugs can have severe side effects, such as liver damage!
Laser toenail fungus treatments not only show great results, but you won’t have to deal with daily medications and lotions. And, there are no side effects, as the surrounding tissue of the nail will remain untouched.
No Anesthesia or Recovery Time Needed
Laser toenail fungus treatments don’t involve anesthesia, pain, scarring, or recovery time.
For many people affected by toenail fungus, anesthesia represents a severe fear that sometimes prevents them from getting the right treatment for this condition. However, surgical nail removal is not the only option you have to treat your severe nail fungus!
You might need more than a laser session to start seeing results, but each treatment won’t last longer than 30 minutes, and you can return to your normal lifestyle immediately after, unaffected.
Highest Success Rates Compared to Other Toenail Fungus Treatments
For many, a toenail fungus infection is a never-ending story. This is due to many reasons:
- Some never seek treatments
- Traditional treatments need to be carried on for months
- Creams and lotions can’t penetrate parts of the nail, where the fungus can proliferate
- Painful surgical removal and other invasive surgeries are not viable options for many
- For the results to be visible, the toenail needs to grow back, which can take over 18 months
Because of these reasons, people affected by toenail fungus don’t get treatment for their condition or don’t follow through with it.
Simply, laser toenail fungus treatment has higher chances of success because it entirely neutralizes fungus spores and bacteria - it is also quick, painless, and noninvasive.
Laser Treatment Keeps Healthy Tissue Intact
Laser toenail fungus treatments are entirely customized to your unique needs. However, they are always targeted to a specific area. The laser precision, coupled with noninvasive, low-level energy waves, ensures that no healthy tissue is affected during the treatment.
So, while the heat will target the spores, fungus, bacteria, and other microorganisms in the nail, the nail itself and the surrounding skin remain untouched.
When compared to surgical procedures that aim to remove the entire nail, laser treatments represent a much more accessible and pain-free option. And, because of this, you can be back on your feet immediately after each treatment session.
Each Treatment Lasts Around 30 Minutes – And Offers Long-Lasting Results!
Each treatment’s duration depends on how your skin reacts to the laser, your skin type, and the extent of the fungal infection. However, generally, each session with Dr. Jeffrey Kleis DPM will last between 20 to 30 minutes - in some cases, you can be out of the clinic in just 10 minutes!
When compared to standard treatments that last longer than a year, or surgical interventions that come with several weeks-long recovery times, it is easy to see how laser toenail fungus treatments represent the obvious choice.
Find the Best Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment With Dr. Jeffrey Kleis DPM
Experienced Podiatrist Dr. Jeffrey Kleis has performed over 20,000 laser toenail fungus treatments, helping thousands of patients overcome this health challenge and regain confidence in their feet.
Thanks to our experience and cutting-edge technologies, we are able to customize each treatment to offer the best results. Get in touch with Dr. Jeffrey Kleis DPM in Orange County, California at 866-333-8710 or book an appointment here.