LASER TREATMENTS

Nail fungus treatment with laser is preferred in the presence of persistent fungal infections that do not use methods such as creams, pills, and polishes or are resistant to these methods.

The aim of laser treatments is to improve the subungual tissue. The reason is that it is difficult to reach subungual tissues with traditional polishing application treatments. There are even patients who have to have denailing processes for this purpose. However, denailing is not preferred as it negatively affects the daily life of the person. Again, laser may be a reason for preference due to the side effects of pill treatments in the liver, their inability to be used in breastfeeding and pregnant women, and the limitation of use with cholesterol and blood pressure medications in elderly patients.

Q-switched lasers are the most commonly preferred treatment for nail fungus. Again, short-pulse Nd:YAG (short-pulse Nd:YAG) and fractional lasers are also used. Q-switched lasers target the black and brown tissue in the nail that is decaying and changing color due to fungus. The laser applied to this area is absorbed in the target tissue and converted into heat energy. This heat often gives the opportunity to reach the desired depth, namely the fungal tissue located in the subungual tissue. In this way, the infection in the heated fungal nail is eliminated. By the effect of heat, both the fungus itself and the fungal spores are destroyed. Fungal spores are responsible for the recurrence of fungal infections and resistance to treatment. Fungal spores are the way of reproduction that allows fungi to grow and they are resistant to outdoor conditions. However, they are quickly destroyed and died by the effect of heat. The spores, which are destroyed simultaneously with the laser beam, also prevent the recurrence of the fungus. With this full layer effect on the nail plate, the fungal infection in every area is easily damaged and destroyed.

The process is applied in sessions. Process time is 5-10 minutes. The laser beam is slowly passed over the nail plate until the patient experiences a burning sensation. When the patient gets the burning sensation, the process is stopped and the other nail application is started. A slight burning sensation is a desired and expected side effect. Patients do not feel pain during the procedure. Session intervals are 2-4 weeks and the average recommended number of sessions is 4-8 sessions.

The success of the treatment will increase with the support and care recommendations of your doctor. We receive positive responses from the results of laser treatments that we support with medical foot care in our clinic. Thus, after the thickened and damaged nails with fungus are cleaned mechanically with the help of cutters and the nail is thinned, laser treatment is applied simultaneously in the same session and the chance of success is increased by ensuring that the laser treatments reach the targeted tissue exactly.

Another laser treatment for nail fungus is fractional carbon dioxide lasers. These lasers, in addition to damaging the fungus with the effect of heat, also allow the polishing treatments applied to reach under the nail thanks to the micro channels created on the nail. Again in our clinic, we get successful results when we apply these treatments on the nails that are thinned via the cutters used in medical foot care. These two procedures are applied simultaneously to our patient in the same session, and session intervals are arranged by making post-procedure care suggestions.