Laser Treatment
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Frequently Asked Questions of
Nail Fungal Infections
What are my treatment options?
What can I expect from successful treatment?
Answers to
Frequently Asked Questions of
Nail Fungal Infections
What are my treatment options?
1. Daily application of a topical medication such as Formula 3 or prescription Penlac
with a 7% cure rate
2. Daily use of a prescription oral medication such as Lamisil with a 40 % cure rate
and the need for blood tests to monitor for liver damage
3. Trimming and burring of the nails without medication providing comfort but no cure
4. Use of a laser to eradicate the nail fungus with a reported 90% success rate.
Successful treatment of nail fungal conditions may reduce the thickness of the nail, decrease discomfort associated with the involved nails, improve the appearance (color and shape of the nail) and should make trimming easier. The various treatment methods all have differing success rates and no treatment option has a 100% success rate.
The Foot and
At this time healthcare insurance does not cover the cost of the laser treatment for fungal nails as the procedure is considered a cosmetic procedure. However, you may use Health Savings Account or other health care spending dollars to pay for this procedure.
Most individuals report that they do not feel any discomfort during or after the treatment. You may however experience slight warmth or feel a mild snapping like a static electricity discharge during the procedure. If you have any discomfort during your treatment, you should let the doctor know and appropriate adjustments will be made to decrease any discomfort. The use of local anesthetics is not recommended or required for the treatment of fungal nail conditions.
There is no recovery period. After your treatment, you may immediately resume all normal daily activities including exercise and sports. You may resume normal daily showering or bathing. You may reapply nail polish immediately after your treatment. We recommend using Dr. Remedy’s Nail Polish which contains natural anti-fungal ingredients. If you do have any concerns or questions after your treatment, please contact our office and we will be happy to answer your questions.
The treatment time of your nails varies depending on the degree of involvement and the number of nails infected. Significantly thickened nails will need to be thinned to a more normal thickness prior to treatment to provide you with a better result. The actual laser treatment of the nails only takes a few minutes for each nail and does not require local anesthetic. Total treatment time for initial evaluation and treatment of ten nails typically takes 30 minutes.
The fungal nail infection should improve with just one treatment. For nails that are misshapen, you should not necessarily expect a normal appearance to the nail. The fungal infection can and does over time cause permanent damage to the cells that grow your nail plate. This cell damage is not repaired by the laser even through the fungus is destroyed. As with most medical procedures, 100% guarantee of success cannot be given for this laser treatment of your nails. That being said, the philosophy of our office is to always provide you the very best up-to-date medical care for your foot and ankle conditions. This new laser technology is recommended to you because substantial improvement of your fungal nail infection is anticipated and a high level of satisfaction is expected. Re-infection can occur as fungus is present in our daily environment, particularly our shoes and showers, but we have advice and strategies to reduce the chances of this occurring.
The Q-Clear laser is FDA approved for the treatment of dermatological conditions of the soft tissue; the nail unit which consists of the nail bed, nail growth cells, skin surrounding the nail and the nail plate itself is considered soft tissue; nail fungal infection is consider a dermatological condition of the soft tissue. Other conditions the Q-Clear laser is used to treat would include the removal of warts, pigmented skin lesions and tattoos as well as the elimination of spider veins.
The cost of the treatment varies depending on the number of nails involved and the severity of the infection. FAAWC is using one of the most state-of-the-art lasers available and can provide exceptional treatment results with a shorter treatment time. Our fees range between $295.00 up to $995.00. You will receive a written quote including the number of nails requiring treatment and the total cost prior to treatment. Two additional evaluations within 12 months of your original treatment date are included in your treatment cost and we will provide laser treatment of any re-infection that occurs at no additional cost.
Six Nails through Ten Nails $399.00
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