European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Onychomycosis, a fungus that affects the nails, is typically brought on by dermatophytes, as well as nondermatophytes, moulds, and yeasts. Using a fractional CO₂ laser to treat onychomycosis results in microscopic thermal wounds in the nails, which help topical antifungal medications penetrate the nail more effectively.
Aims and Objectives: To study the efficacy of fractional CO₂ laser assisted topical antifungal therapy for onychomycosis treatment in adult north Indian population.
Material & Method: In this study, 50 clinically suspected patients with onychomycosis had their nails examined by KOH examination and culture in both males and females over the age of 18. All patients underwent fractional CO₂ laser treatment every two weeks while also receiving randomly selected topical antifungal drugs for a total of six months. Clinical findings and the Scoring Clinical Index were used to analyse the nails of all the patients for onychomycosis.
Result: All patients with KOH and culture-proven onychomycosis had clinical improvement, as determined by calculating the Scoring Clinical Index for onychomycosis following the conclusion of treatment, since there was a significant drop in the score of SCIO in all patients.
Conclusion: Fractional CO₂ Laser assisted topical antifungal therapy is effective treatment for the onychomycosis in adult north Indian population.