LASERS and Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is a chronic condition which manifests as a thickening, yellow or brown discoloration highly associated with concurrent tinea pedis (athlete's foot). This condition has made recent news on account of new NON FDA approved treatments which are beginning to surface here in Naples. I often am asked about the new high tech treatment which is said to be painless and effective. This is LASER fungal ablation. I am highly skeptical about this treatment, as it is only shown to have efficacy in the short term. I am certain it is not covered by insurance, and I doubt it is a first line treatment modality as of yet in terms of standard of care. Regardless, I am glad to enlighten our readers on the topic, and perhaps we can gain a fundimental understanding about this treatment modality.

Noveon Laser
Nomir Medical Technologies in Waltham, MA is developing a laser called Noveon for treatment of nail fungus. Noveon is a type of laser already commonly used by doctors for treatments like cataract surgery, dental work and hair removal. Noveon beams two different wavelengths of near-infrared light at toenails to selectively take aim at and kill fungi.In the latest study, after four Neovon laser treatments, about half of the 39 toenails tested no longer had active nail infections. Six months after the initial treatment, about 76 percent of the patients had clear nail growth,.

Patholase Laser
Another company, Patholase, is already marketing the Patholase PinPointe FootLaser for treatment of fungal nails. Clinical trials released by the company report 88% cure of the fungal infection with one laser treatment. However, according to a March 19, 2009 article in the New York /Times, the company’s claim of FDA approval for this procedure is being questioned. We will keep track of how this progresses and update this page when we have new information.

Will this Treatment be covered by Insurance?

Laser treatment of nail and skin conditions is not covered by insurance plans as it is considered aesthetic. You can expect the cost to run between $600 and $1200.

Recommendations
If this modality seems applicable to you, by all means feel free to explore it. I am certain that more cost effective measures should be taken first, and if traditional treatment fail, perhaps the pursuit of more advanced treatment should then be entertained. This is an off label use of LASER modality, and only time will tell if it is advantagious longterm or at all to utilize this costly treatment protocol.