Kayla Young
Toenail fungus is unsightly and frustrating to deal with. But it’s better to tackle the problem early rather than wait. It’s not gonna go away on its own.
Toenail fungus is pretty hard to deal with. There are loads of over-the-counter and home remedies for toenail fungus. But these are hit or miss. Prescription medication is better but requires doctors and expense.
Enter laser treatment for toenail fungus. Do home lasers work on toenail fungus? These systems started out as medical treatments, but now they’ve come home. Do they work?
In this article, we’ll take a look at whether these new systems are worth trying.
Contents
Fungus Among Us
Fungus thrives in dark, hot and humid places, which means the feet are an ideal breeding ground because they are stuffed into shoes all the time.
A fungal infection can cause the nails on your toes (and even your fingers) to become discolored, thick, and brittle.
Also known as onychomycosis, the thickening of the nail plate can cause more trauma to the toes from the added pressure of wearing shoes. This increases the potential of developing ingrown toenails, unusually dark toenails, or toenails growing at strange angles, which are a deeply unpleasant experience.
Not so long ago, toenail fungus was generally treated with topical antifungal creams and/or oral medication. In general, creams only work in very mild cases, because they don’t penetrate the infected area.
Meaning there’s always a chance that the fungus will reoccur.
And then there was prescribed medication. These did a better job at treating the situation but also had the potential of causing side effects, including headaches, skin rashes, loss of taste and smell, gastrointestinal problems, and even liver failure. Not to mention doctor bills and medication costs!
Do Home Lasers Work on Toenail Fungus?
No products found.So it’s lucky for us that in 2010, the FDA approved the use of lasers for the treatment of toenail fungus, which has also seen the development of products using this technology that you can use at home.
Lasers are now considered to be among the best methods of getting rid of toenail fungus.
This is because not only does laser treatment destroy the fungus, but it leaves the surrounding tissue of your fingers and toes unaffected.
So the healing process of the nail won’t cause any more physical trauma to your skin.
In addition, other members of your family can use the device without the risk of spreading the fungal infection internally or to others.
Feeling Blue
Laser products that you can buy at retailers like Amazon use a technology called pulse laser radiation or low-level laser therapy. Also sometimes called a cold laser, these products are designed to send low levels of light to the fungal area that aren’t strong enough to cause heat damage to the surrounding tissue.
The most common products use a combination of both pulse laser radiation and blue light therapy, like the Cure Ex Professional Nail Fungus Laser Treatment Device . The Cure Ex works by enhancing blood flow to the infected area, which helps to boost oxygen levels and kill off the fungus.
It is intended for daily use and it is claimed you’ll have great results with simply using it for just seven minutes per day on each infected nail.
For fast and effective treatment, it is advised to use the laser on each infected nail up to three times a day. There’s a rechargeable pack that comes with the device and is guaranteed to last for about a year with regular use.
The Cure Ex and other devices like it are very easy to use. You simply slip the infected toe or finger into the device and press the operating button to activate the blue light.
The handheld-size device will emit the visible blue light for around seven minutes before shutting off.
Because the Cure Ex doesn’t present a danger to the tissue surrounding the infection, you don’t have to worry about causing any other damage.
Some users may also find these devices to be less time-consuming than other treatments, which are definitely more invasive.
There’s a big difference between the cost of going to see a professional and doing this treatment at home. Costs for the former range anywhere from $500 to $1200 and it may take more than one treatment to get rid of the fungus.
Conclusion
So do home lasers work on toenail fungus? Well, basically yes. But much depends on how bad the infection is and how long it’s been present. Depending on how many toes or fingers you need to treat, it may take you a while to irradiate the infection before you can show them off again with full confidence.
If you’ve got a fairly recent infection, these treatments are certainly worth trying. But if you’ve been ignoring your infection for a while, a home treatment probably won’t do much.
