FOX Laser

Fungal nail disease, medically referred to as onychomycosis, affects many people. Fungi that feed on keratin, a structural protein within your nails, frequently cause the condition. Fungal colonies proliferate in moist environments and invade the nail bed by penetrating the margins of the nail resulting in pain, impaired ability to walk, yellowing and cracking of the nails, and negative self-image. Solutions offered to date include prescription medications that have side effects and surgery to remove the nail; neither are comfortable or popular treatment options for the millions suffering with nail fungus.

The FOX Diode Laser

FOX Diode Laser therapy is a safe, non-invasive means to clear nail fungus and it is gaining popularity.

During the laser treatment, a laser beam is slowly directed across the nail bed. The energy of the laser beam is absorbed by the underlying fungal colony, the thermal energy denaturalizes the enzymes within the fungus and impairs its ability to replicate and grow. Patients feel a warm sensation during the procedure, which lasts 1 minute to 2 minutes per toenail. There may be some discomfort or a slight heat sensation but most patients find it very tolerable. No anesthetic is required.

Is using a laser to treat toenail fungus something new? Is there a medical history for this?

Lasers have been used extensively the past 7-10 years for toenail fungus treatment, resulting with numerous clinical studies; Laser manufacturers have used these results over the years to learn how to better design their equipment enabling them to maximize therapeutic effects.

Is there clinical evidence to prove that laser treatment really cures toenail fungus?

Today there is significant clinical evidence to prove beyond any doubt that laser treatment dramatically improves the condition of even a severely infected toenail. As an example, in a recent study conducted on 72 patients over 3 months, follow-up showed that over 90% of the patients were cleared of all fungal infections.

How soon will I be able to see improvement to my toenails or fingernails after treatment?

It usually depends on the origin of the fungal infection;  if it was at the “root” of the nail, improvement can be seen as early as 3 weeks. A continuous improvement will be gradual as the nail continue to grows. Typically a significant overall improvement will be seen after 3 months.

What are the benefits of using laser treatment over drug treatment?

Oral antifungal medications are toxic, and may cause serious medical complications. As a result, patients that are taking these medications are asked to go through routine blood tests to make sure their liver is not damaged during the treatment.

A laser treatment is completely drug free, meaning it does not impose all the health risks associated with the oral antifungal medications. There are no adverse reactions, injuries, or known side effects from use of lasers to treat a toenail fungus infection.

How is the laser treatment compared to drug treatment in terms of its success rate?

Recent studies showed over 90% success rates using the latest generation of laser equipment, done over a 3 month period.

Extending the treatment with additional 3 months cured more than 95% of patients.

Common systemic antimycotics drugs, that are used over a period of several months are known to have cure rates of only 40 to 80%.

How long does the treatment take?

The treatment takes approximately 15 minutes per foot.

How many sessions will be needed?

Usually 3 to 4 sessions will be sufficient.

Does the treatment require special preparation?

After evaluating the severity of the nail, the technician will usually use a common file to prepare the nail surface.

Is the treatment painful?

No. The treatment will not cause any pain. You will feel the area under the nail heat up but not to an uncomfortable degree.

If I have only one infected nail, can I treat only that one and save time and cost?

Most likely no.  The reason is that even if one of your nails is infected,  the chances are that your other nails are infected as well, and to allow the treatment to be successful and prevent future self infections, its best to treat all the nail at once.

Will the laser cause changes to the nail color after it is cured?

No.

~ Betty B., Surfside, FL

No Peaks, No Pain! Continuous output power from the FOX Laser avoids spikes of high power and enables a gentle treatment. The energy is delivered in precisely metered amounts into the nail bed creating pain-free warmth for your patients.