Health Basis

Toenail fungus is one of those maladies that we don’t worry about until it strikes. There are many over-the-counter cures for this embarrassing problem, as well as prescribed treatments. Be aware when seeking any treatment that none of these “cures” are guaranteed to work with generally a below 50% satisfaction rate.

Toenail fungus affects over half a billion people worldwide. This fungus causes the toenail to appear very yellow, while also becoming hard, and thick, often times accompanied by a spongy tissue that forms between the nail and skin.

You may have seen the various commercials on television that advertise over-the-counter ointments and liquid applications. A podiatrist visit may bring a prescription for a stronger variations of these remedies or even a pill. These forms of relief are painless and easy to use but statistics have shown that, in general, both the over-the-counter and prescription medications have a below 50% cure rate. If you have a more advanced form of this fungus then your recovery rate would be even lower.

In recent years laser treatment has become a more successful way of toenail fungus relief. The lasers have proven to work while leaving the nail and surrounding tissue unharmed. Rates show that with this treatment almost 90% of the patients were able to grow a normal appearing toenail after the treatment was completed. Although it may take up to a year for the nail to regrow, the process shows remarkable advantages to other forms of treatment while only taking ten minutes to perform. The way this works is very simple in that a laser light is applied to the infected area and vaporizes the fungus.

There is absolutely no pain and no lasting effects to the patient other then a healthy looking toenail. This is good news for those seeking treatment in that most prescribed medications generally come with a warning that it’s use may cause kidney damage or even failure.

The downside to laser treatment is that it isn’t covered by insurance due to it being considered a cosmetic procedure. Therefore price comparing is something you may want to research, as well as a fair amount of recommendations for competent doctors who perform the laser process. The cost will vary so remember the term “Buyer Beware,” and do your homework before proceeding. The first treatment could be as low as $50.00, but by the time you are finished your price could have risen up to $500.00 or more. If your toenail does not respond to the first visit or if your toenails are extremely infected then it’s more then likely that you will need some further treatments.
While there is absolutely no certain remedy for toenail fungus, the safety and cure rate that goes with laser treatment far out-weighs the ointments and oral treatments without causing harmful side effects.