PinPointe Laser – Should You Get It?

If you have toenail fungus, you may have heard about laser treatments as an option.

One of the newest laser treatments for toenail fungus is PinPointe Foot Laser.

PinPointe Foot Laser did recently get cleared by the FDA as a treatment for toenail fungus.

But the question you may be asking yourself is if lasers are the best treatment for you?

What are the benefits? What are the disadvantages?

What this will cover:

  • An overview of the treatment
  • How the laser works
  • Pros and cons
  • Other questions concerning this treatment
  • The truth about PinPointe Laser treatment. (You will want to read this before getting this treatment).
  • Additional options

Overview

Lasers have been used as cosmetic treatments of impurities on the skin mostly on the face.

Recently, PinPointe Footlaser has arrived as a possible treatment for onychomycosis (toenail fungus) and got approval from the FDA.

While it got FDA approval this does not mean results are guaranteed. In fact, there was some surprising results from medical professionals. (We will go over this below)

It’s sole purpose is to kill fungus that lives in and under the toenail or fingernail.

The real question now is how does it work?

How The Laser Works

As mentioned, the PinPointe Footlaser sole purpose is to get rid of the fungus that is residing under your nails.

First, the person administering the lasers will prep your nails and feet properly.

Then the laser light will pass be directed towards the infected nails and pass through the toenail without causing damage to the nail or surrounding skin*.

The laser will not automatically clear up but hopefully kill the underlying fungus. It takes time to grow out and the more severe the infection, the longer it may take.

Costs

This is one of the most costly forms of treating toenail fungus. It is even more unfortunate that the treatment is not covered by health insurance companies because the treatment is considered aesthetic.

The cost for this treatment is $1,000 or more depending on the severity of your nail infection.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Pros:
  • Sessions are only 30 minutes
  • FDA approved
  • Can paint nails after treatment
  • No recovery period
Cons:
  • Extremely pricey (Roughly $1,000)
  • Not covered by insurance
  • Not 100% effective
  • Multiple sessions are required

Questions and Concerns

Below will be some common questions and concerns surrounding PinPointe Footlaser treatment.

  • Is the procedure painful?
    • Most people feel no pain. However, some reports suggest laser treatments can be painful to the patient.
  • Is it covered by insurance?
    • No it is not, you will have to pay out of pocket via credit card, cash, or money order. This procedure is considered aesthetic, thus, health insurance plans do not provide coverage.
  • How long is one treatment session?
    • One session takes around 30 minutes.
  • How many treatment sessions are required?
    • Depending on the severity of the toenail fungal infection it could take anywhere from 1-6 sessions.
  • How much is does it cost?
    • The treatment that is not covered by health insurance companies costs $1,000 or more according to the NY Times.
  • Is there a recovery period?
    • No just walk in and walk out
  • When can I paint my nails or have a pedicure?
    • You can put polish on immediately after your treatment. Just ensure that all nail polish and other decorations are removed the day before your treatment.
  • Is it 100% effective?
    • No, it is not. Be sure to read the next section which gives you the unearthed truth behind laser treatment for toenail fungus.

The Shocking Truth – Will the Fungus Return?

One of the craziest truths about nail fungus and laser treatments came from Tracey Vlahovic DPM, a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.

She claims that when it comes to laser therapy for toenail onychomycosis (toenail fungus) that “The studies are poorly done” and “evidence is weak”.

No antifungal laser therapy/device gives us a 100% cure and it definitely does not happen overnight.

It is true that this treatment was cleared by the FDA but the definition the FDA has for laser devices for onychomycosis is weak.

Look:

The statement for laser devices for nail fungus that the FDA made is “temporary increase of clear nails in patients with onychomycosis.”

A temporary increase of clear nails is not a cure or treatment. It would be like putting a band-aid on someone with a broken bone… It would be ineffective.

Basically, the FDA approved it with a very loose definition of a treatment.

Additionally, researchers examined the effectiveness of the treatment with 20 patients with 82 mycotic (infected) nails. The researchers assessed patients 12 months after the final laser treatment for a mycological cure and utilized photos and examination to access the results.

What were the results?

No patient achieved a “cure” for their nails at 12 months. Also, the nails visually were worse after the 12 months when compared to the beginning.

Ultimately, the study shows that laser is not a reliable therapy for nail fungal infections.

The Bottom Line:

PinPointe FootLaser and other forms of laser therapy are not “silver bullets” that will get rid of your fungus overnight. In fact, there is good probability that it won’t get rid of it at all after seeing the studies on laser therapy.

Luckily, there are alternatives to treating toenail fungus with millions of products at a lot cheaper rate.

Some of the most popular ways to treat your nail fungus is naturally. Natural products tend to use more safe ingredients for the body while also maintaining effectiveness.

I personally reviewed Zane Hellas Fungus Stop before the PinPointe FootLaser and found it to be more effective for me.