Laser Nail Therapy
Onchomycosis is a fungal infection of the finger or toe nails. It is more common in the toes. It affects approximately 14% of the US population. The most common symptoms are thickened yellowed nails that become brittle and break.
High intensity laser therapy is an FDA approved treatment to produce clear nail growth in patients with onchomycosis. The success rate for clear nail growth is estimated between 85%-100% depending on which study is cited. High intensity laser therapy is not FDA approved to to treat the underlying fungus, but research indicates laser treatment effectively eliminates the underlying nail infection.
Treatment Protocol
The treatment frequency is 1 treatment every 10 days for a total of 3 treatments. A final treatment is given at a 20 day follow up appointment. New clear nail growth is expected to be visible in 6-10 weeks. It may take up to 1 year for the nail to completely clear.