Topical and Laser Combination Therapy for Fungal Toenails

The first part of the answer is that your toenails offer not only an endless source of nutrition for the fungus, but also protection. Because the nail itself is such a thick, hard barrier, traditional topical antifungal medications alone aren’t always effective at reaching the fungus that resides inside and below.

Even when they are somewhat successful, topical treatments take a lot of time to get results. The full treatment can take up to a year, and require you to thin your toenails (typically weekly) on top of applying the antifungal medication once or twice per day.

The second part of the answer is that the alternative “traditional” treatment, oral antifungals, aren’t safe for everyone. These pills can cause side effects in some people, including severe ones like liver problems. If you can’t (or do not want to) consume oral antifungals, then your options are more limited.

In recent years, a new option has arrived for treating fungal toenails: laser therapy. At Sierra Foot & Ankle, we use the PinPointe toenail laser. PinPointe FootLaser is an FDA-cleared system that can successfully eradicate the fungus and help nails grow in clear—with none of the downsides of older forms of treatment!

Laser therapy works by emitting a focused beam of light that is deadly to the fungus that cause toenail infections. The laser light doesn’t have any problems getting through the toenail and accessing the fungi underneath. It’s also painless, safe on your skin, and has no known side effects.

You can read more about the PinPointe toenail laser and how it works on our service page.