Tara is a bright, beautiful, sensitive 14-year-old girl. Her mother dresses her in clean clothes, she sports the latest styles, but walking into her school cafeteria seeing her sit alone at the end of a lunch table is strikingly out of character for this young women. Tara is afflicted with onychomycosis a fungal nail infection, and has been since she was 10 years old. This infection makes the nails of her hands and feet discolored and thickened and often times give off an unpleasant odor. When she was younger her friends did not notice, but as she matured it has become a source of stress for this young women trying to navigate the trials and tribulations of high school. She has become more introverted, and is often shunned by other children.
The mainstay of treatment for this disease has been topical preparations that have been largely unsuccessful in eradicating this common problem and/or oral systemic medications that have potential side effects and are often times not as effective as patients would like. Tara was always to young to take the oral medications as, giving a potentially toxic medication to such a young women is not entered into lightly, and the topical preparations in forms of creams, ointments and nail polishes have made almost no impact on the disease progression.
Nail Treatment
In recent years technology has caught up with this affliction in the form of something out of science fiction. (Hey that Rhymes:)) Laser Therapy for dermatologic conditions has been helping patients for decades, but it has not until recently been looked at for the treatment of nail fungus which is a skin appendage. The laser has the advantage of passing a beam of light through the affected nail targeting with a specific wavelength, pulse rate and temperature, bacteria, fungus and viral organisms without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. This makes it suitable and safe for patients of all ages and medical history. Even if the patient has failed to improve from previous treatments for fungal infection, the laser could be the answer for thousands of patients throughout the country.
The FDA has cleared lasers for use on patients but has not as of yet given a specific indication for the treatment of onychomycosis. This in itself does not preclude patients from receiving the treatment, as many progressive doctors are making it available to patients who have no other options. The results are very promising as cure rates are in some cases approaching 90%, which is currently the best out there. Even with the oral medications cure rates were never considered to go higher than 75% and that was with the potential liver toxicity.
While the debate over universal healthcare continues to rage in Washington, insurance companies are not at this time covering Laser Nail therapy deeming it "cosmetic", but for Tara and her mother will not deter them from having the procedure done. "I am not going to wait for the government or the insurance companies to take care of me, I have a feeling I will be waiting a longtime if I do" says 14y.o. Tara. Tara's mother is in agreement and is willing to pay the One Thousand dollar price for the procedure. "I would go to the ends of the earth for my child, so writing a check to give my daughter a chance at being happy is a no brainer." says Tara's mother.
The procedure, which takes approximately 30 minutes, is painless for the most part with some patients feeling a warming sensation at times. Patients do not require an escort and can return to there normal activity immediately after. While no treatment can make any guarantee to cure the problem 100% of the time, this new treatment offers a safe alternative to medications that either do not work or have the potential for toxicity.
For Tara (and thousands of other patients), this therapy offers a chance to not only change the appearance of her nails but will hopefully make it possible for Tara to enjoy her adolescence without the added burden of this difficult infection.
Laser Nail Treatment Sheds "Light" While Patients Shed Nail Fungusร้านแนะนำ : บทความเกี่ยวกับเล็บ มือ นิ้ว สั่งซื้อ ยาทาเล็บ พร้อมส่ง
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