Toenail fungus is one of the most common fungal infections throughout the world, with an estimated 12 % of the population infected. Over the years there have been various ways to treat the infection. Most people go for natural remedies while others go for prescription drugs. Both might cure the infection but none can be compared to laser treatment for toenail fungus.
What is Toenail Fungus?
Toenail fungus is officially known as ‘Onychomycosis’ and, like other fungus, does not require the sun in order to grow. The infection often starts as a spot on your toenail, usually yellow or white, and spreads to encompass the entire nail and further the development of the symptoms. These include thickening, discoloration, distortion, or darkening of the nail, and it won’t go away until treated.
How to Treat Toenail Fungus
There are various ways to treat toenail fungus. One of the widely used treatment options is over the counter prescriptions. Oral medication can be used with topical creams. They don’t treat the infection on their own, but instead they act as a supplement to oral medication and prevent the infection from worsening.
Surgery
If a fungal infection is too severe for normal treatment over the course of several weeks and requires immediate attention, surgery may be recommended. The process involves removing the infected toenail.
Anti-Fungal Lacquers are similar to the topical cream, but has been proven to be more successful in treating mild cases of toenail fungus. It works essentially like nail polish, applied over the course of seven days in layers only to be wiped clean with alcohol before a fresh coat is applied.
The Best Toenail Fungus Treatment Option
In most cases, both oral medicine and surgery are both viable options for treating toenail fungus. However, the best treatment option that has been scientifically proven to work is laser therapy. The procedure is fairly fast and does not involve the removal of the infected toenail. Rather, the doctor uses a laser to kill the toenail fungus hiding beneath your toenails. The number of treatment sessions depends on the severity of the infection. Although there won’t be any visible change after the treatment, you can expect to see some changes once the nail starts to grown back.
