Here amid the freezing and near-freezing temps of a Long Island winter, you’re probably not thinking too hard about what your feet look like, even if you’ve noticed a distinct yellowing, thickening, or deformation in one or more of your toenails. After all, with feet constantly bundled in socks and boots and months to go before sandal weather is back in force, what’s the rush?
Unfortunately, if you want your nails to look nice in time for you to be able to show them before next winter, you need to think about getting treatment now.
How Long Does it Take to Get Rid of Toenail Fungus
That’s because toenail fungus, even when successfully treated, generally leaves traces of its presence for several months after the microorganisms themselves are eradicated. If the infection is gone, any new nail that grows in should look healthy and clear, but the portion that’s already been damaged will still be there until it finally grows out. Given the rate at which toenails grow (and it gets slower as you get older), it could be 6-9 months or longer before all traces of the infection are gone.
Laser Therapy for Toenail Fungus
While waiting for a full return of healthy nail requires just as much patience as ever, in recent years laser therapy has provided a breakthrough in effectively dealing with the fungus itself. In the past the only real option was oral antifungal medication, which came with spotty cure rates and the potential for nasty side effects. Now, we can use gentle laser beams to painlessly kill the unwanted pathogens. This method does not have any side effects and provides far superior results and a much higher cure rate for most patients.
So don’t wait to treat your fungal toenails! Thanks to modern technology, you no longer have anything to worry about—lasers are far safer than traditional medications. And thanks to the laws of nature, you still have to wait a few months before your toenail clears, which means you need to get moving if you want your feet beach-ready before the end of the season!