Can persistent toenail fungus be successfully treated with a laser?

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Technology
• Laser Medicine

Background:

• Onychomycosis is a prevalent fungal nail infection causing cosmetic concerns and discomfort.
• Many cases of onychomycosis are resistant to standard oral antifungal medications.
• Existing treatments often have limitations or side effects, necessitating alternative approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a long-pulsed 1,064nm Nd:YAG laser for treating onychomycosis.
• To explore a new therapeutic option for onychomycosis refractory to conventional antifungal treatments.

Main Methods:

• A long-pulsed 1,064nm Nd:YAG laser (Laser Genesis™) was applied to infected nails.
• Treatment involved sequential irradiation with a 5.0 mm spot size at low fluence, delivered in a showering motion.
• Efficacy was assessed using nail turbidity scores.

Main Results:

• Improvement in onychomycosis was observed in over 68.8% of treated cases.
• The laser treatment demonstrated high efficacy in refractory onychomycosis.
• No significant adverse reactions were reported during the study period.

Conclusions:

• The long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser is an effective and safe treatment for onychomycosis resistant to antifungal therapy.
• Its distinct mechanism of action makes it a valuable option for difficult-to-treat nail fungus.
• Future research should investigate combination therapy with oral/topical antifungals and laser treatment for enhanced patient outcomes.