More Podiatry Foot Care Articles
Laser Your Fungal Toenails
As we head into winter, it's time to put away summer foot wear and opt for more closed toed shoes and boots. For those suffering from unsightly toenails, publicly displaying our feet is no longer a concern, yet the conditions in which toenail fungus thrives will just be coming into season. Toenail fungus flourishes in dark, warm and moist environments. Winter shoes and boots, along with sweaty feet make for the perfect mycotic habitat.
The medical term for toenail fungus is onychomycosis and the usual culprit organism is trychophyton rubrum. This is the same species that causes athlete's foot (a precursor and root cause of most toenail fungus). Other species do exist such as T. mentagrophytes which can cause the nails to have a whitish appearance and candida albicans, a mold that is also very common in fingernails.
Although many home remedies are out there including vinegar foot soaks, tea tree oil and baking soda, the treatments recommended by most podiatrists are topical antifungals, oral medication or laser.
All three treatments have their upside and downside. However, the benefits of laser are manifold, including that the treatment session is relatively quick, non-invasive, pain free and no blood work or oral medication is needed. Laser is effective on its own but is typically recommended for use in tandem with a topical medication.
How it works is simple. The laser transmits energy through the nail plate and nail bed and essentially kills the organisms at each treatment. Three to four sessions spread apart in monthly intervals is usually sufficient. Still, as with all fungal nail treatments, there is no immediate change in nail appearance. The nail has to grow out to see the full fruits of the treatment and this can take up to a year depending on which toe is treated.
Patients undergoing laser treatment need to be diligent in keeping up with their foot hygiene as to not re-infect themselves. Tips for this include disinfecting or throwing away old shoes, changing shoes and wearing clean socks daily. It is also beneficial to wear breathable stockings made of cotton or wool. If your shoes and boots are constantly moist it may be helpful to blow them dry with a hair dryer.
