The 3 best ways to treat toenail fungus are laser treatments, pills, and topical medications. The Q-laser is the most effective laser in treating toenail fungus and has an 80-85% success rate in eliminating the fungus in your nails. It is painless and FDA approved. Terbinafine (Lamisil) is the pill used to treat toenail fungus and it has a 50-55% success rate. Finally, topical medications can be used to treat nail fungus but are only 10-15% effective in doing their job. Treatments tend to work slightly better if started early in the infection, but unfortunately, most patients wait too long to treat this problem. Dr. Ripepi has been utilizing the Q-laser for over 10 years with excellent results.
Most Effective Treatment for Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is an infection that gets in through cracks in you nail and cuts in your skin. It can make your toenail change color or get thicker. It can also hurt because toes are often warm and damp, fungus grows well there. Many types of toenail fungi are quite contagious and an infected person can spread the fungus to someone else through direct contact. In severe cases the fungus causes the nail to become thick and whitish then becomes yellow-brown in color. The nail becomes brittle, crumbly and distorted in shape. Nails become dark in color due to debris build up under the nil and often have a foul odor.
Laser treatment is the best option for severe cases of toenail fungus and is the fastest way to get rid of nail fungus. This painless and FDA approved laser uses precise wavelengths of mid-infrared light energy to eliminate the destructive fungus that causes the infection, revitalizing your nail as it grows out. Treating toenail fungus early is always helpful and laser treatment is most effective in all its stages.
How Long Does It Take For Toenail Fungus to Go Away?
It is easy to ignore toenail fungus…unfortunately most of us do! Since most nail fungus does not hurt when it starts, most of us don’t even realize it is there until the fungus is already severe in nature and we can see the nail changing color and shape. In severe cases the nails can hurt and have a foul odor. Trauma is known to be a common case of how toenail fungus can start in a toenail therefore it is common for athletes and active people to have toenail fungus. Runners and people that play stop and start sports like basketball, tennis, soccer, CrossFit and dance have nails infected at a higher rate.
The fastest way to get rid of toenail fungus is by using the Q-Clear Laser. Laser treatment destroys toenail fungus with an 80-85% success rate and is painless. In very severe cases, all 3 treatment options (laser, pills, and topical meds) can be used together to help speed the response to treatment.
Many types of toenail fungus are quite contagious, easy to spread and hard to treat. It thrives in warm, damp environments like pools, locker rooms and even showers. It transfers to other surfaces on contact, like your feet or things like towels or footwear. Early treatment is always one of the keys to destroying toenail fungus. Scheduling an exam with a foot doctor that is experienced in treating toenail fungus is important in getting your healthy and clear nails back. Yes, you can get your nails back to their original, healthy appearance.