Toenail fungus is one of the most frustrating and embarrassing foot problems you can wind up with. Fortunately, you don’t have to fumble your way through treating your fungal nails, trying this cream or that home remedy.
Significant advancements have been made in toenail fungus treatments, and expert podiatrist Kelly L. Geoghan, DPM, offers our patients one of the most advanced. Here’s everything you should know about banishing toenail fungus with fast, effective, and pain-free laser treatments.
Toenail fungus (onychomycosis) grows quickly in damp, dark places and feeds on keratin, a protein found in your nails, hair, and eyelashes.
The fungus also spreads quickly through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or item or from walking barefoot in places such as public pools and locker rooms. All the fungus needs is a small crack or cut in your toe to infiltrate your skin and damage your nails.
Signs of toenail fungus infection include:
A fungal infection can even cause your toes to smell.
The most important thing to know about toenail fungus is that it won’t go away on its own. Without prompt treatment, toenail fungus can spread throughout all your nails; it could eventually become so severe that it affects how you walk. Complications from toenail fungus are especially concerning for those with diabetes or immune disorders.
On top of that, you’re contagious until you get the infection under control.
Unfortunately, toenail fungus is difficult to treat, and over-the-counter and even prescription-strength topicals and medications can fall short because they don’t directly target the fungus.
We use the PinPointe™ FootLaser® for fungal toenails, which harnesses the power of laser light energy to literally zap away harmful fungi embedded in your toenails.
The laser treats only the infected area, passing through your nail painlessly without damaging healthy tissue or causing any pain during or after treatment. At most, our patients experience a slight pin prick or warming sensation.
We perform laser treatments on an outpatient basis, and you can walk out of our office immediately after treatment.
The laser often kills the fungus in one treatment, and the PinPointe system has an 88% success rate; however, if your infection is severe, you may need a series of treatments.
After we’ve eliminated the fungus, it’s time to focus on establishing healthy habits that prevent future infection. To avoid toenail fungus, you should:
Talk to us about other prevention tools like nail hardeners and foot powders. Dr. Geoghan makes recommendations on the best products and best practices for toenail fungus prevention.
Are your toenails under attack? There’s no time to lose. Contact Kelly L. Geoghan, DPM, in Lutherville, Maryland, today to schedule an appointment to banish toenail fungus with advanced laser treatments.
