Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus

Breaking News! Lori Tucker from Channel 6 visited our office to learn about our new breakthrough laser treatment for toenail fungus. Her story aired 7/28/2011 and shows a patient actually having the treatment. Have a look!

Our Cutera Yag Laser was just cleared by the FDA as a safe and effective treatment for toenail fungus, also known as Onychomycosis. A laser that treats fungal toenail infections may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of what's new and exciting at a plastic surgeon's office. But it's actually a really big deal. Here's why:

Toenail fungus is the most common disease of the nails and affects from 6 to 8% of the adult population. There is usually no pain associated with fungal infections of the toenails but the nails look painful and unsightly with a thickened, yellow, or cloudy appearance. At more advanced stages, the nails can become rough and crumbly, and even separate from the nail bed. People who have toenail fungus are often self-conscious about the appearance of their feet and limit the activities they do outside, particularly in sandal weather.

Unlike athlete's foot which is annoying but goes away quickly, toenail fungus becomes a long-term problem for most people. Because the infection is actually embedded within the nail, toenail fungus is extremely difficult to treat. Oral medications prescribed have to be taken for months, even years, and can have serious side-effects including liver damage.Yet, topical creams don't penetrate to where the infection is. So you can see why a painless effective laser treatment for toenail fungus is such big news!

Here is a two-minute video from "The Doctors" that includes a great animation of how the laser works to treat toenail fungus.

Treatment is Fast, Results Take Time

The laser treatment itself takes about 15 minutes, but will take longer if you have more than one toe affected. You will feel a warm sensation as the laser penetrates through your nail, but it doesn't hurt. The laser targets the fungus that is in your nail and underneath the nail bed, and kills it.

It's important to understand that the results of the laser treatment aren't immediately obvious. That's because your new healthy nail takes time to grow. Sometimes people see a slight difference in the existing nail, but the real results occur with new nail growth. Most people will grow a completely new toenail in six to nine months.

Before and Two Months After One Laser Treatment of Toenail Fungus- Here is a patient that Heather McNeal, our Licensed Aesthetician, treated two months ago. You can easily see the line of demarkation of healthy nail near the base of her cuticle. She had just one treatment. We'll be following her improvement as her nail grows out and will post more pictures as we have them. Click once on the "thumbnail" to see larger images of the pictures.

Before You Come In-

Please make sure your primary care doctor has diagnosed your condition as Onychomycosis, so we know that the laser is the indicated treatment. Also, take your toenail polish off :). 

Laser Treatment of Toenail Fungus - What does it Cost?

The pricing for laser treatment of toenail fungus depends on how many toes you have that are affected. Makes sense, right? You should plan on having two treatments, four to six weeks apart.

Laser Treatment of Toenail Fungus Price (per foot, two treatments)-

Big Toe $800, Add one toe on the same foot $100, All five toes on the same foot $1000

This pricing includes the two recommended treatments, but if you have a very resistant case and need more, we'll include up to four treatments without additional cost.

Note: Laser treatment of toenail fungus is not covered by insurance as it is considered a cosmetic procedure and not medically necessary.

After Care:

To help prevent re-infection:

• Continue to apply anti-fungal cream twice a day for approximately 2 weeks to 3 months depending severity of the infection.
• Apply anti-fungal powder to all shoes at least once a week for at least a month.
• You can put nail polish back on 24 hours after your treatment.

Good to know: Because the laser is a treatment designed for use instead of oral medications, we don't write or refill any of these prescriptions for our patients.
 

Skin Care