Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment Soars In Popularity
Toenail fungus treatment is a billion dollar industry as millions of people suffer from this ailment on a daily basis. One of the most exciting remedies for this problem to come along in quite some time is laser treatment for toenail fungus .
Lasers have been used in the medical world for many years but only recently have doctors started to use a laser for toenail fungus. The information is still being gathered to answer the question does laser treatment for toenail fungus work or not but so far the results look pretty good.
Part of the reason for the popularity of laser treatments is the fact that it doesn’t take months of using pills or topical solutions to see results and you don’t have to worry about the many side effects associated with most of the prescription type solutions for nail fungus.
Since toenail fungus is a huge problem suffered by hundreds of millions of people around the world, it is a market that many businesses and doctors want to tap into fast.
One of the first lasers on the market to help the fight against nail fungus was the Pinpointe Footlaser which received written clearance from the Food & Drug Administration back in late 2010 to help patients get clearer nails.
How Does Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment Work?
In simple terms, the laser uses a light that is able to pass through the surface of the nail and kill the fungus that lives under and around the nail. It does this without damaging the nail or surrounding skin.
Once the treatment is completed, you will not have new and clear nails right away. Depending on how fast your nails grow, it can still take several months for a new nail to appear.
Is It Painful?
Although some may feel a slight warming sensation during the treatment, it has been reported by most doctors and patients that there is no pain involved with laser nail treatments.
How Many Laser Treatments Do You Need?
Although each case is different, most patients require only one treatment to get rid of toenail fungus and yellow nails. Under rare circumstances, a patient may need to come back for a secondary treatment.
How Long Does It Take?
A typical treatment can take about 30-45 minutes for all ten toes. There is no recovery period associated with the treatment and most patients can return to work or their normal lives immediately after their treatment.
Pinpointe Footlaser Cost
Although the cost for laser toenail treatments vary based on the doctor and city, you can generally expect to pay in the neighborhood of $1000.00 (one thousand U.S. dollars).
That price may be a bit lower or higher depending on where you have the treatment done. For most sufferers of nail fungus, the thousand dollar price tag is a bit steep but for others it is well worth the price to get the peace of mind of having clear nails.
As with any new service or product, the price of laser treatments for nail fungus have dropped over time and may continue to do so as more and more offices began to offer the service to their patients.
Will My Insurance Pay for Laser Treatments?
In most cases, laser toenail treatments are considered to be cosmetic or aesthetic by insurance companies and are therefore rarely approved for coverage. You may get approved if using a Medical IRA or HSA to cover the costs. Either way, you should do some research before pursuing this treatment.
Due to its popularity, there are other companies and lasers that are now entering the marketplace but the Pinpointe Footlaser continues to be the leader and many local doctors and podiatrists use this machine to help eradicate toe nail fungus.
As mentioned the Pinpointe Footlaser is cleared by the FDA and uses patented technology to solve problems with Onychomycosis.
Western Technology Investment has obviously recognized the growth potential of laser fungus treatment and is now providing additional venture capital to Pinpointe.
According to Pinpointe CEO, Bob Katz, “…this new investment will allow accelerated development of a variety of international business opportunities.”
Even though toenail fungus is not a major health risk in most cases, it is still a problem that most sufferers would prefer to eliminate.
According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal online, few companies have produced actual written data when it comes to the long term effectiveness and efficacy of laser treatments for toenail fungus.
So far only Nomir has published evidence of efficacy, but its study is small and short term. A company-funded study of 34 patients and 26 treated toes published last year in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association found that after four laser treatments, 85% of the nails showed new growth without fungus. Of the total, 65% showed at least three millimeters of clear new nail and 26% had at least four millimeters. The study took its final measures six months after treatment, but hasn’t yet published the data.
As for specific data on the Pinpointe Footlaser, the company offered the following information…
PinPointe supplied The Wall Street Journal a summary of unpublished data from a study looking at 265 patients over two years. In the summary, 71.4% of the patients experienced continuous improvement over a year after a single session with its laser.
Despite that lack of evidence, consumers seem more than willing to pay the high price in the hopes of finally getting rid of ugly, yellow toenails.
One thing that most consumers and patients should keep in mind is that toenail fungus is highly contagious. Regardless of which kind of treatment you elect to use in getting rid of nail fungus, there is a high probability that you can contract the disease again in the future.
Daily exposure to contaminated showers, bath tubs, shoes, or towels, can all lead to a reinfection. Based on that, it is critical that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself from the organisms that cause nail fungus.
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