The aging population of Canada needs foot care clinics that provide dedicated services to help the aging population remain mobile. Having healthy feet is of paramount importance to continuing overall mobility.
Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection that causes toenail discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed. The condition occurs in 10% of the general population but is more common among older adults where the infection rate is 20% in those over 60 years of age, and 50% in those over 70 years.
Is your clinic offering treatments for toenail fungus that are less effective than they could be? In this blog we will outline and evaluate the most common onychomycosis treatments offered at foot care clinics in 2022, and explain why ClearToe Light Therapy is now being used effectively by hundreds of clinics across the country.
But first let’s consider our country’s demographics to understand why foot care clinics can expect continued growth in the upcoming decades as our Canadian population ages.
With toenail fungus being so prevalent among our older populations it is interesting to note that current research from Statistics Canada indicates that from 2016 to 2021, the number of persons aged 65 and older rose 18.3% to 7.0 million. This is the second largest increase in 75 years. Furthermore, the 7 million people aged 65 and older in 2021 represent nearly 1 in 5 Canadians.
This large senior demographic is an important target market for foot care clinics to be aware of. Being prepared to offer and promote the best possible treatment options to this quickly growing sector of patients will lead to clinic growth across the country.
Nail fungus infections are progressive, recurrent, and contagious and because of this the condition can be challenging to manage. Long-term treatment periods, inconsistent patient compliance, and unpleasant side effects all impede successful resolution. Thus, an easy to use, cost-effective, and safe treatment for onychomycosis is needed to achieve the results that patients need.
Comparing Clinical Treatment Options for Toenail Fungus:
- Topical creams, such as ciclopirox and efinaconazole, have been a first-line treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate nail infections. These topical agents are applied directly to the nail and are relatively safe but there are several disadvantages to this line of treatment. They include:
- The mode of action isn’t significant enough
- Long treatment periods to achieve results on minor cases of nail fungus
- Decreased effectiveness when more extensive nail involvement is present
- Depends upon the patient’s ability and commitment to following treatment protocols
- Oral therapies, such as terbinafine, itraconazole, or fluconazole, are sometimes the line of treatment selected when more severe nail fungus infections are present. These oral therapies can cause various complications and problems such as the following:
- Hassle – oral therapies often require bloodwork before and during which is unpleasant for the patient
- Other safety concerns, including liver toxicity
- Contraindicated for pregnant women and patients with heart disease
- Potential side effects include headaches, taste disturbances, and upset stomach
- Depends upon the patient’s ability and commitment to following treatment protocols
- Laser Therapy is commonly used to treat toenail fungus but is often cost-prohibitive and has a slow ROI for clinicians. But current research questions whether laser treatment is sufficiently efficient and safe. The main concerns with laser therapy are:
- Research concerns about the effectiveness of treatment in curing toenail fungus
- Lasers are not known to cause systemic side effects and drug interactions, there is still little data investigating their overall safety.
- Relapses or recurrences of toe fungus are not uncommon
- The ClearToe Light Therapy is the only laser-free Class 2 photodisinfection device authorized for sale by Health Canada for the clearance of onychomycosis. The ClearToe Light was designed specifically for the treatment of toenail fungus and is backed by years of research and clinical studies. The benefits include the following:
- Controlled treatment is administered and monitored by the clinician
- ClearToe Therapy is user-friendly, portable, and fits easily into clinics.
- Clinical studies have shown that 76% of treated patients experienced total or substantial clearance of toenail fungus
Canadian Foot Care Clinics are turning to ToeFX ClearToe Light Therapy because it is a safe, non-toxic, and simple treatment. It is proven to be an economical investment with proven results. Providing a safe and necessary treatment option to thousands of Canadians who suffer from Onychomycosis is something to be excited about!
ToeFX is safe, effective, offers a rapid ROI and recurring revenue.
