Laser treatment of onychomycosis
Onychomycosis (nail thrush) is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases of the feet. It used to be a rarity, but now the number of cases of this disease is increasing dramatically. According to the podiatrytoday.com website, approximately 2-3% of the population experiences this problem, and this percentage increases with age, reaching the level of 15% in people aged 40 to 60 years.
According to the website mushroom, about 20% of Poles suffer from mycosis - diagnosed or not. This problem is often underestimated because it does not cause pain for a long time (until the plaque is chipped and the skin is more sensitive). The fungus attacks the skin and nails, and if left untreated, it spreads to the next fingers, causing the plate to deform, itching and burning. In order to be able to implement the appropriate method of treatment , it is first necessary to know the type of fungi that have attacked the patient. To do this, go to a dermatologist who will perform a culture. In the case of yeast infection, the test results can be known after 7 days, and in the case of an infection caused by dermatophytes, it is necessary to wait 3 weeks.
Who is at risk of onychomycosis?
In the past, many doctors considered onychomycosis as a cosmetic defect that should be monitored but not treated. Modern research has shown that this is a wrong approach, especially since 75% of people affected by onychomycosis also have psychosocial disorders. Such people avoid using public showers, visits to the swimming pool, and they do not buy open-toed shoes.
Inhibitions caused by shame can affect the intimate life and contact with loved ones, as well as prevent a visit to a specialist. The myth that mycosis is caused by a lack of proper hygiene may also be a barrier to visiting a doctor. Meanwhile, this is only one of several factors that can trigger a fungal infection.
According to the experts of the portal ogrzybicypatulci.pl, the risk group includes mainly:
- young people
- people leading a stressful lifestyle
- people taking certain types of drugs
- lovers of sweet, carbonated drinks, coffee and cigarettes
Laser therapy as a method of treating onychomycosis
Among the methods of treating mycosis, there are pharmacology and conservative methods involving the use of antifungal preparations. The laser therapy with the use of a neodymium-yag laser is also very popular among patients . The laser treatment is an alternative to therapy with antifungal varnishes or orally administered preparations. During a session with the use of a laser, the fungal infection is removed without the risk of side effects, and the therapy itself consists in irradiating the nail plate and surrounding tissues with the laser beam.
As can be found at sterishoe.com, in 2012 a group of researchers in Alberta thoroughly analyzed all available work on laser treatment of nail yeast disease. Among the documents examined there was an analysis of 42 cases in which 100% efficacy of therapy was demonstrated after 12 months, as well as a paper in which it was proved that 85% of patients felt improvement after 4 laser treatments, carried out within 6 months. The analyzed cases allowed scientists to conclude that onychomycosis laser therapy is the most effective treatment method currently available on the market.
The course of laser treatment of onychomycosis
Treatment of onychomycosis with a laser requires several preparations. The patient should decontaminate the footwear, do not sunbathe for 4 weeks before the procedure, and a week before visiting the doctor, it is recommended to discontinue medications such as anticoagulants, steroids and photosensitizers. You can start using them 14 days after the laser treatment. On the day of the procedure , alcohol is not allowed, and all cosmetics should be washed off the surface on which the procedure will be carried out.
The laser treatment of onychomycosis involves irradiating the plate - the laser head does not touch the surface, but moves above it at a height of about 1-2 cm. Appropriately adjusted system parameters have a thermal effect on fungal hyphae, leading to their destruction. The procedure takes about 10-20 minutes and does not require anesthesia. The therapy is usually divided into stages, repeated approximately every 6 weeks. If the regrowth of the nail plate shows no signs of fungal activity, another treatment is not necessary. Usually, the results of treating toenails are visible after 3 months due to the slow growth of the plaque.
Post-treatment recommendations
After the therapy, it is not recommended to use hot baths and saunas for about 2 weeks. Special antifungal creams should be used twice a day for 3 months . If the toenails are infected with mycosis, the product should be applied to the surface of the plates and to the skin up to the ankles to eliminate the risk of reinfection. All previously used socks should be discarded as they contain fungi. It is recommended to wear shoes with bare toes whenever possible. The same towels as other family members should not be used.
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