Find out when it’s time to turn to a podiatrist to treat your toenail fungus.
Are you dealing with a toenail that is yellow, brittle, or looks thicker than the rest of your toenails? If so, you may be dealing with a toenail fungus. While a toenail fungus may not seem serious, it’s still important to treat the problem so that it doesn’t continue to spread or cause permanent damage to the toenail. From the office of our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas, find out how to treat a toenail fungal infection.
Treating a Toenail Fungus
Most of the time, someone with a fungal infection will try to treat the problem on their own. This often means heading to the local drugstore to pick up a topical anti-fungal treatment, which is applied to the nail. Of course, it’s important to understand that this can take a rather long time to work.
Topical treatments also cannot penetrate through the nail, which means that it may not be able to fully target and eliminate the infection lying underneath. Furthermore, it can take up to one year for the nail to grow out clear again, so patience is key when it comes to this treatment option.
Turning to a Podiatrist
If you want to tackle this issue right away, it might be time to turn to our Wesley Chapel foot doctor. Those with diabetes should always seek treatment right away if they suspect that they are dealing with a fungal infection or are experiencing any changes in their feet.
The first line of defense is usually an oral treatment that can work throughout the body to eliminate the infection. It can take up to three months for the medication to work and, as with any medication, it can cause side effects. Not everyone is right for oral anti-fungal treatment so it’s important to be upfront about your medical history so we can make sure this is the safest option for you.
Another method we use to effectively eliminate recurring, persistent, or severe fungal nail infections is laser therapy. A PinPointe™ FootLaser™ is directed over the infected nail to safely penetrate through the fungus to heat up and destroy the infection.
This laser treatment is non-invasive, painless, and usually takes no longer than 30 minutes. One session is often all that’s needed, and it can be a great alternative for patients who cannot or do not want to turn to oral medication to treat their fungal infection.
Interested? Give us a Call!
If you are dealing with a persistent or recurring toenail fungal infection that you can’t seem to treat on your own, then it’s time to turn to our foot specialists at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL. Call (813) 909-0865 today!