The most common cause of yellowed, thick and/or deformed toenails is a fungal infection of the toenail. The fungus that infects the nail, most commonly, is the same fungus that causes athletes foot. It tends to be slowly progressive, damaging the nail to a greater and greater degree over time. The infection usually starts at the tip of the nail and works its way back. It usually is not painful and often not noticed until it has gotten well established. Please request your FREE consultation to evaluate your toe nails for fungal infection and determine the course of treatment.
Dr. Michael Horwitz is a Board Certified Foot Surgeon with more 5 star reviews than just about any foot doctor in the country. Being a cosmetic foot surgeon for 30 years, he noticed early on that many of his gorgeous post op pictures were incomplete due to nail fungus. So he created CleanSpa and developed curative techniques for nail fungus that may soon require international patents. (Intellectual property protections). While we can’t give away all of our secrets, we invite you to test our commitment to excellence. Check out Dr. Horwitz YouTube video below. And when you are ready for a true, ethical, Value Based Treatment program that is geared towards fast results with long term benefits, then come see us. Or call us 314-983-0303 to request a FREE consultation about your fungal nail condition NOW!
A fungal nail infection affects the toenail or skin under the toenail and can cause the nail to become thicker and turn yellow or white. The infection probably won’t cause any serious health problems, as long as your immune system is fighting it. Our Clear Nail Program, which uses efficient and cost effective laser technology to treat fungal nails, provides proven results for the removal of fungus.
Top Questions About Laser Toenail Fungus Therapy
We have many lasers, treatment options and techniques that work. See us in St. Louis: University City and Chesterfield. Before And After Laser TreatmentFor a complete overview of all of the causes and treatments for fungal, thick and ugly toenails, please read our Guide to Toenail Fungus Treatment. In it you will learn everything you need to know to make an educated decision on the best treatment for your toenails.
Laser therapy is the newest treatment we offer for fungal toenails and improves the appearance of the nails in many patients. The laser works by penetrating the nail plate and destroys the fungus under the nail. There is no pain and no side effects. Best results and the best looking toenails occur with three laser sessions and the use of specific protocol.
Please understand, however, not all thick nails are caused by fungal infections and laser only works on nails with fungal infection. In addition, most studies show laser is not as effective as the oral medications for treating toenail fungus. It is likely more effective, however, than the topical medications. Information on other causes of thick nails is available here.
Light Age Q Clear Laser
If we determine that laser treatment would likely be effective for you, we will schedule you for your first treatment. On that visit, the following will occur:
Laser seems to be about 40 – 50% effective for making nails look better, but newer studies may show different outcomes. This means about 50% of patients will have a better looking toenail. Our estimate is less than 15% of patients have a completely clear nail after laser treatment. This compares to studies that show about 38% of patients taking the oral medication terbenifine have a completely clear nail.
You may see some clinics advertising that laser treatment is more than 80% or 90% effective. Don’t believe them – this is misleading advertising and it is not true. There are currently no studies that support these claims.
Clear Nail Toenail Fungus
Initial visit: This visit is for evaluation and to determine if you are a candidate for laser treatment. This visit is covered by most insurance carriers. We’ll take a complete history and evaluate your condition. If you are a good candidate for laser treatment you will be scheduled for your first treatment. This visit is critical because there are many causes of thick and yellowed nails, and the best treatment will depend on your diagnosis. Before we can determine if laser treatment would be effective for you we may need to take a sample of your nail to send for a lab test to determine if fungus is present.
Treatment #1: At this visit the nails are thinned and the first laser treatment is performed. You are given detailed instruction on preventing reinfection.
Treatment #2: This visit is performed 3 months after treatment #1. The nail is thinned again and laser treatment is performed again.
Laser Toenail Fungus
Treatment #3: This treatment is performed 6 months after treatment #1. This is the final laser treatment and review of preventing re-infection.
Studies have shown that if one toe is infected, even normal looking toenails often have fungus hiding in them. For optimal outcomes of laser treatment it has been found to be most effective to treat all 10 nails. If we only treat the one toe the odds of reinfection are much higher, so we do not offer treatment of only one nail.
Studies are not completely clear on the exact mechanism of action, but it is thought that the laser is absorbed by the fungi causing damage before there is any pain or damage to human tissue. This occurs because of thermal damage to the fungus cells and/or photo-inactivation of the fungus cells.
Laser Nail Fungus Treatment
On average, the big toenails will regrow completely in about twelve months and the smaller nails in about six months. Healthy new growth is usually visible three to four months after the initial treatment.
Our philosophy is to keep the cost as low as possible and include all treatment in your initial fees so there are no surprises. The most effective outcomes are achieved with a total of three treatments and all three treatments are included in the total cost of $590. You may see treatment advertised for less, but these prices are for only one treatment, which has not been shown be to as effective as the three treatment protocol. If you do not have insurance coverage the evaluation visit cost is $109.
All insurance companies consider laser therapy a cosmetic procedure and do not cover the service. Most insurance carriers will, however, cover your initial visit for evaluation and diagnosis of your nail problem. But your initial visit, where we determine if you are a good candidate for laser therapy, can be billed to your insurance and normal co-pays will apply. As explained below, you may be able to use FSA funds for laser treatment.
Nail Fungus Treatments
If a patient is traveling a long distance for treatment and they have previously been diagnosed with a fungal nail infection, we may schedule the first visit and laser treatment on the same day. In this case, a $150 deposit is required to hold the appointment. This is refundable if you give a 48 hour cancellation notification. It will also not be lost if you reschedule within 24 hours of your appointment. The remaining $440 for the laser treatment will be due before we administer the treatment.
We do not offer payment plans. One of the reasons we are able to offer such a low overall cost for the laser treatment is that we do not have to spend resources billing and collecting. You can pay with credit card, cash or debit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards.
Payment for the laser procedure in full is required before the treatment is administered. If it is determined you have a fungal infection at your evaluation visit, you will schedule an appointment for the laser procedure and pay a $150 deposit. This is refundable if you give a 48 hour cancellation notification. It will also not be lost if you reschedule within 24 hours of your appointment. The remaining $440 is due at the time of the first laser appointment, before the treatment is administered. If you fail to show for the appointment, the down payment is forfeited.
Laser Treatment For Toenail Fungus
Most Heath Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) may be used to pay for this treatment. Please contact your individual HSA or FSA regarding coverage.
We have seen both online coupon “deals” for laser treatment of fungal nails. These may seem like good deals at a glance, but promote extremely poor medicine. Before buying an online coupon, contact us for an evaluation in our Seattle clinic to find out if you are a candidate for laser nail treatment instead. Here are the three reasons that online coupons are such a terrible deal for patients with nail problems:
People who get onychomycosis usually have inherited an immune system that does not fight this fungus very well. Thus, reinfection is not uncommon. You can read more here about preventing reinfection of nail fungus. Many patients return once per year for a preventative laser session. The cost of this session is currently $290 for one treatment session of all 10 toes. This is available only to patients who have undergone a full
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