Footpoint Podiatry is dedicated to ensuring our Podiatrists are knowledgeable, highly skilled and continue to be educated in order to have the professional capabilities to assess and treat all manner of lower limb conditions. When it comes to plantar warts we have the latest equipment leading the industry, that way our patients are guaranteed to be provided with the highest quality of care. Swift Microwave Therapy for plantar warts is the latest innovation achieving a success rate of 83%! This resolution rate is higher than any other existing wart treatment to date, including salicylic acid treatments and cryotherapy.
Plantar warts, are a common Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection that forms on the outer layer of the skin. They are round in growth formation combined with the uneven, bubbly surface that resembles cauliflowers. Oftentimes, tiny red or black spots can be seen in the wart due to the blood supply.
Although HPV related warts can appear anywhere on the body, plantar warts refer specifically to the warts that form on the soles of feet. Typically, plantar warts form as a myriad of tiny skin papules that feel rough at the touch. The plantar warts can occur either alone or as part of a small cluster called a mosaic of warts. If left untreated, the pain felt from the plantar warts can be debilitating and the warts can spread and grow in number.
While eradicating plantar warts can be tricky, due to their ability to consistently evade the body’s immune system, the new Swift microwave therapy has a strong track record for effective wart treatment.
Swift therapy is a breakthrough technology available only to licensed Podiatrists and Dermatologists for the general treatment of certain skin lesions. The Swift wart treatment technology works by placing a special probe and delivering microwave energy directly to the infected skin cells. The microwave energy is emitted in short and sudden bursts at a predetermined depth to ensure it targets only the wart.
The emission of microwave energy to the infected skin cells induces a process called Heat Shock. This causes the wart to release particular proteins which enter into the circulatory system. Once this occurs, the body’s immune system is able to recognise the infection and fight off the virus.
Swift wart therapy is a safe procedure. The Swift technology’s microwaves are a type of non ionising radiation. The very low energy levels of the microwave technology will only vibrate the water molecules within skin cells. This means is that this specific form of microwaves are not able to cause any damages to living DNA tissues.
The temperature range of a Swift treatment is between 42 to 45 degrees Celsius (not many degrees warmer than a typical hot bath, cup of tea or coffee) and unlikely to cause any serious tissue damage beyond a blister is some circumstances. The rapid heating of the wart is typically felt as a sharp and warm sensation that lasts no longer than 1-2 seconds. In most cases, this process is repeated on each skin lesion between 4 to 12 times.
While the treatment process is very brief, we understand that pain is a subjective, individualised experience. There is generally no expected pain post treatment.
If you’re considering the commencement of any treatment, it is important to have an assessment prior with our trained podiatrists to discuss your eligibility and treatment plan.
The treatment duration will largely depend on how your body’s immune system responds to the Swift therapy. Generally, most patients require between 3 and 4 treatments, spaced approximately 4 weeks apart. Yet, keep in mind that how many treatments you will require may vary from these averages.
Another benefit of the Swift wart therapy is that typically there’s no aftercare treatment necessary. Any pain and discomfort experienced during treatment should cease immediately afterwards. There have been some reports of skin sensitivity for about 12-72 hours post-therapy, however this is not a common occurrence.
There is also no requirement for covering or applying aftercare chemicals to the skin. Once the treatment is complete, patients are able to put their shoes straight back on to walk out of the clinic, and no waiting period is needed to resume normal activities such as exercising and swimming.
Generally, most people who are experiencing stubborn plantar warts can receive Swift microwave therapy. However, there can be exceptions, so it’s always important to have an assessment with a trained podiatrist first. Your Footpoint podiatrist will be able to identify if this wart removal treatment is right for you.
