LS on 7-21-13 Left Foot

LS On 10-21-13 Left Foot

LS 7-21-13 R foot

LS 10-21-13 Right Foot

• We use the Genesis Plus laser system specifically designed for podiatry, including laser toenail fungus removal laser nail fungus treatments.  The Genesis Plus has the best results of any other laser system on the market.  The settings we use are specifically designed for the treatment of nail fungus. We do NOT use a hair removal laser.
• Dr. Oehler is a podiatrist with 15 years of experience in Toenail fungus treatment in Denver & nail fungus treatment.
• Proper preparation of the nail is critical for optimal results.  Whoever, is treating your nails should know how to optimize the treatments, it begins with proper nail preparation.
• We are all about long term care and preventing reinfection, we work with each of our patients to develop a plan.  Our plans are unique to each of our patients.
• At totally feet podiatry and laser center we are committed to offering the most effective care and treatments to our patients.  We know not everyone will respond to the laser or the oral medication, this has been demonstrated in studies.  We are starting a trial in our office that we believe will significantly improve the results for a larger percentage of the people.  This is why we have started the Premium Plus package.

Lasers and Laser Nail Fungus Treatment

At this point it is not clear what is killing the fungus under the nails. There are different theories on the mechanism of action (MOA) but we are still not able to definitively identify a particular action, we just know it works better than anything else. Lasers are absorbed by different components in our cells called chromophores. The most common chromophores are hemoglobin, melanin, and water. The lasers most effective for onychomycosis are highly absorbed by hemoglobin and melanin. Parameters that have been studied and proven to reduce the nail fungus are available in a few lasers. Currently, it appears Nd:yag 1064nm with a spot sizes of 5mm, is going to be the most effective and able to treat the toenails in 15-30 minutes..

Laser nail Treatment with the Genesis Plus system

Realistic outcomes and treatment protocol depend on the severity of the infection and the individual. For a more detailed description of onychomycosis and levels of severity take a look at our onychomycosis page. A resent study suggests 81% of patients had complete or moderate clearance of the nails.

I believe that adequate debridement prior to laser treatment will improve the outcome. It is critical, potential patients do their homework and be sure the individual providing the service is capable of medically debriding the nails to no more than 2mm in thickness, so the laser can be most effective. Most studies suggest 1 treatment for mild cases and 3 treatments for moderate to severe cases.

It is important patients proceed with preventative care program. Preventation should include treating shoes with the SteriShoe, skin with antifungal cream, and the nails with Formula 3. This will help to prevent reinfection of the nails in those who are genetically more susceptible to the nail fungus. The best method of disinfecting shoes is with the SteriShoe, though less effective some patients opt to try a foot powder (Desenex or Tinactin) or Mycomist spray.

The number of treatments an individual needs will depend on the severity of the infection and the genetic makeup of the person being treated.  Because the infection is usually progressive it often depends on the amount of time a person has had the infection.

Mild cases where discoloring is isolated to the tip of the toenail and thickening is minimal, 1 treatment may be enough. People with more than half of the nail infected and thickening of the nails, I recommend our 3 treatment package.  This will offer the best results for these more moderate to severe cases.  Patients with complete nail involvement and severe thickening of the nails may have limited improvement in their nails. If the root of the nail has been damaged by the fungus or an injury, permanent damage may have occurred.  There is no real easy way to know if damage to the root of the nail has taken place. I recommend a treat and see approach.

Totally Feet Podiatry and Laser Center is now offering the Premium Plus Nail Fungus Treatment Package.  Our Premium Plus Package is available for those who want to try everything out of the shoot or those that have gone through laser treatments without achieving desired results.  The treatment includes 4 laser treatments, 4 weeks of terbinafine, topical terbinafine, and 3 follow up appointments.  The terbinafine was is given in a pulse dosing regimen to minimize the risk of side effects.  I am expecting better efficacy and better long term results.  For more details take a look at Trial Study to Evaluate Oral Terbinafine in Conjunction with Laser Therapy

The bottom line:  No treatment is 100% effective for nail fungus treatment, our laser is the most effective and more effective than any other treatment on the market and has no side effects.  At totally feet podiatry and laser center we are committed to offering the most effective care and treatments to our patients.

There are many important factors when considering the right laser for a specific treatment. NOT all lasers are created equally. There are 4 main technical capabilities of a laser that need to be assessed to establish the efficacy for a particular type of treatment.  Unless a laser is specifically designed for a treatment, it is not likely capable of the most effective treatment parameters.