Don’t Always Believe What You Hear: The Truth Behind Toenail Fungus

At Triad Foot & Ankle Center, we’ve heard it all when it comes to toenail fungus. There are a plethora of myths being circulated that couldn’t be further from the truth.

If you’re suffering from toenail fungal infections, it’s best that you know the truth about your condition and the level of severity. The podiatrists at Triad Foot & Ankle Center are going to put to rest the myths and state the facts surrounding toenail fungus.

• Myth: Toenail fungus is an uncommon condition.
  • Fact: Toenail fungal infections are one of the most common foot-related conditions, especially among adults. If you frequent public swimming pools, gyms or public showers, you are at risk of contracting an infection as the bacteria lives in warm, wet areas.

• Myth: Toenail fungus cannot be cured by medication.
  • Fact: There are oral and topical medications that can help cure fungal infections, and they have a high level of success. Laser treatment, such as our PinPointe™ FootLaser® system, has shown to be the most effective treatment option with the highest success rate.

• Myth: Only unhygienic people get toenail fungus infections.
  • Fact: Simply swimming in a public pool or showering at the gym can result in a fungal infection. Wearing shoes that haven’t been properly sanitized after a prior infection could result in fungi recurrence. Even the cleanliest of individuals are at risk.

• Myth: The only way to get rid of toenail fungus is to remove the entire nail.
  • Fact: Before medication or laser treatment was available, nail removal was sometimes the only cure. Today, laser treatments boast an 88 percent success rate and do not require nail removal.

• Myth: Toenail fungus can be cured in a short amount of time.
  • Fact:  This is both true and false because it largely depends on the type of treatment sought and the severity of the infection. Oral and topical medications typically take months to fully clear an infection, but with PinPointe™ FootLaser® treatment, you can cure your infection with as little as two treatments (depending on the severity of your infection).

 

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