Toe fungus is an ugly and traumatic problem that can cause great pain in many people's lives. Thankfully, there are many treatment methods that can be utilized to destroy it. One of the most effective of these methods is laser treatment. It is often used in cases where the fungal spread is too wide to handle without specialized care.

THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY TOE FUNGAL INFECTIONS

While fungal infections on the toes aren't a dangerous or deadly situation, they are rather ugly and embarrassing. They typically start on the outer layers of the skin on the bottom of the foot and move over to the nails. Once they reach this point, they spread out and start eating the dead skin cells that appear there every day. This growth is also assisted by the dampness of your feet in socks and shoes. When it spreads across the foot, it can become a little painful and cause a discoloration of the nail that is distressing. Again, this isn't necessarily a dangerous or serious situation. However, it can quickly spread across the foot and take over all of a person's nails. At this point, it can be very difficult to eliminate this type of fungus from your life.

WHY MEDICATIONS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER IN ADVANCED CASES

Our podiatrist in great neck can help manage most types of toe fungus with high-quality medications applied directly to the affected areas. Unfortunately, advanced cases of this problem may be very hard to treat with this kind of medication. While it will definitely kill all of the fungus that it reaches and is an effective way of minimizing spread, it could miss it in hard-to-reach areas. For example, the fungus could grow up and underneath the nail where the medication may not reach. As a result, it could regain strength and grow again from this area. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't consider our medication treatments, but that something more advanced may be in order. It is in this situation that laser treatment becomes so essential for toe fungus.

HOW LASER TREATMENT WORKS

Laser treatment of toe fungus is a unique process because it is so effective in pin-pointing hard-to-reach areas. A concentrated beam of laser light will be positioned carefully near your skin and used to kill the fungus that has affected your feet. In this way, the fungus can be burned away from your skin and kept from spreading out in a destructive manner. While laser treatment is often more expensive than medical treatment, it may be necessary in extreme cases. In some instances, laser treatment may not be used to treat the fungus directly. Instead, it can be used to cut a hole in the nail to make it easier for the medication to reach the affected area. The hole will be small enough to easily heal in a matter of a few days.

QUALIFYING FOR LASER TREATMENT 

Will your insurance cover laser treatment for toe fungus? That is a tricky question to answer. Typically, your insurance will pay for the least expensive, yet effective, option. If they and the doctor don't believe that laser treatment is necessary, they may deny your claim. However, if the doctor is willing to state that laser treatment is necessary and is the least expensive option, your treatment may be approved. It all depends on how willing you and your doctor will work with the insurance company and deal with their red tape. Are you suffering from a case of toe fungus that you just can't eliminate? Then contact us today to learn more about your treatment options! Our podiatrist in great neck specialists will take the time to apply medication or laser therapy to pinpoint the affected areas of your food and eliminate fungus from your life.