Laser Toenail Fungus

Laser Toenail Fungus Overview

Debridement Of Fungal-infected Thickened Toenails: At HCS MedSpa, a motorized device is used to mechanically debride fungal-infected toenails that are thickened and unsightly. Since toenail growth often slows longitudinally in favor of vertical thickening when fungal-infected, toenail health improves with nail thinning when fungal elements penetrating into the nail plate are mechanically debrided or removed. Mechanical debridement also promotes more effective penetration of the laser energy into the toenail and nail bed during a laser treatment.

Fumigation Of Fungal-infected Footwear: At HCS MedSpa, a comprehensive treatment program for Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus has been developed by Dr. Hogue, which also addresses the problem of fungal spore contamination of footwear. Using an effervescent tablet of chlorine dioxide placed in a plastic cup half-filled with water contained within a zipper bag, the patient’s footwear is decontaminated of fungus and fungal spores by fumigation with chlorine dioxide gas. Without chlorine dioxide fumigation, fungal spores seeded within the footwear are potentially able to re-infect the skin and toenails.

Laser Toenail Fungus Treatment Steps

A list of toenail treatment steps performed during an initial toenail fungus treatment session at HCS MedSpa are included below:

• Photos taken of toenails with digital camera
• Feet and toenails topically cleansed with chlorhexidine antiseptic solution
• Thickened toenails trimmed and mechanically debrided
• Infrared laser used to heat nail plate of each toenail to destroy nail fungus
• Antifungal cream topically applied to toes/feet
• Rx provided for 2%-Terbinafine/2%-Clotrimazole/2%-Tolnaftate Antifungal Cream (compounded at Lloyd’s Pharmacy in St. Paul, MN) for topical twice daily application to toes/feet for eradication of associated Athlete’s Foot Fungus (tinea pedis), if clinically indicated, to prevent recurrence of toenail fungus during the treatment phase
• Patient instructed to perform footwear fumigation, do home care, and schedule follow-up treatment visits.