SWIFT Verruca Treatment

Verrucae are a type of wart that can occur on any foot area; however, they are more frequently found on the soles and around the toes.

Verrucae often resemble a small cauliflower head with tiny black dots. Although harmless, they can be painful when present on a weight-bearing part of the foot. In addition, a callus can form over the top of the verruca, increasing the discomfort in this area.

Verrucae are very contagious and can spread from person to person by direct skin contact, affecting members of a whole family at once. You can contract it by simply walking across the same floor area as someone who already has a verruca.

The most common places to catch verrucae are swimming pools, changing room floors and communal shower areas, as the virus thrives in moist, damp environments.

If you or your family are affected by verrucae, we highly advise you to consult a podiatrist to avoid spreading the infection to other foot areas. Although there are a number of ointments and gels you can use to treat the virus, it may take months for verrucae to disappear. Professional help will ensure a much speedier recovery.

SWIFT® Verruca Microwave Therapy

Like with most skin viruses, the most effective way to treat verruca is by triggering your body’s immune system and allowing its natural healing process to clear the infected tissue.

SWIFT® Verruca Microwave Therapy uses electromagnetic waves to penetrate deep into the affected tissue not just to destroy it but also to alert the immune system of the verruca virus, activating its self-healing response.

How does SWIFT® Verruca Microwave Therapy work?

Once the verruca has been cleaned (you may have developed a layer of hard skin on top of it that will have to be removed), your podiatrist will place a handheld probe over it and target it with a dose of microwave energy. This process creates a heat shock reaction, meaning it elevates the temperature of the infected tissue. The heat not only attacks the viral cells (Langerhans cells) but activates a response of your immune system, enabling your body to recognise the verruca virus and start its own healing process to get rid of it.

The application of SWIFT® microwave therapy is straightforward. In most instances, we do a minimum of four zaps per verruca.

Most people find the treatment quite bearable and describe the feeling of the energy beam as a tolerable sting that compares to a quick needle shot. As a result, it doesn’t need local anaesthesia or dressing.

A minimum of three sessions is recommended with an interval of four weeks in between them to banish verruca. In most cases, it depends on how your body responds to the treatment.

Is SWIFT® Verruca Treatment Safe?

In terms of safety, SWIFT® verruca treatment is considered to be relatively safe, with few reported adverse effects. However, as with any medical procedure, there is always a small risk of complications.

Does SWIFT® Verruca Treatment Work?

There is some evidence to suggest that SWIFT®verruca treatment is effective, with success rates reported to be around 75% after just one treatment. However, it is important to note that the success of the treatment can vary depending on the size and location of the verruca, as well as the individual’s immune system. In general, SWIFT® verruca microwave treatment offers an 86% success rate over other most traditional verruca treatments, with no aftercare needed or unwanted side effects.

Does SWIFT® Verruca Treatment Hurt?

As for pain and discomfort, some patients report feeling a mild to moderate discomfort during the procedure, but the pain is typically short-lived and subsides quickly. Most patients are able to resume their daily activities immediately after the treatment.

When Is SWIFT® Verruca Microwave Therapy Not Suitable?

Although SWIFT® is suitable for almost anyone who suffers from verrucae, the treatment is not recommended if you have:

Any metal pins, plates or replacement joints in your foot or ankle
Heart problems and wear a pacemaker
Neuropathy (nerve damage) in the feet
Very poor circulation
Your body doesn’t heal very well
Diabetes but only when you have poor circulation and sensation in your feet. If you are a low risk diabetic, it is safe to proceed.
Immunosuppressive drugs, from cancer treatment or rheumatoid arthritis because they lower the immunity
Children under the age of 6
Pregnant or breastfeeding as your immune system heightens and lowers during this time to protect both mother and fetus. SWIFT® might be safe, but the results might not be as successful as your body may not promote its own repair.

Until very recently verruca was known as a foot condition notoriously difficult to treat. Simply because many of the procedures used to get rid of verruca involved covering the affected area with acid in order to reach deep into the skin and get to the root of the virus. This caused many undesirable after-effects such as blistering, lasting pain, and even scarring, as a result of the aggressive chemicals used in the treatment.

All of this has changed with the introduction of SWIFT®, a new state-of-the-art treatment developed in the UK to treat verruca and skin lesions.

SWIFT uses microwave energy to heal the infected tissue, without puncturing or damaging the skin. It applies the same microwaves technology that has been employed for the treatment of cancer over the last 30 years. So, it’s a non-invasive, super-effective procedure. Like with most skin viruses, the most effective way to treat verruca is by triggering your body’s immune system and allowing its natural healing process to clear the infected tissue. SWIFT Microwave Verruca Treatment does exactly that; it uses electromagnetic waves to penetrate deep into the affected tissue not just to destroy it but also to alert the immune system of the verruca virus, activating its self-healing response.

What can you expect from SWIFT Microwave Verruca Treatment?

Verruca SWIFT treatment is quite simple. Once the verruca has been cleaned — if you have developed a layer of hard skin on top of the verruca, this may have to be removed — the SWIFT’s probe is held over the infected area to administer a precise, highly controlled dose of energy. When the microwave energy gets in contact with the affected tissue, the temperature of the tissue is elevated, destroying the diseased cells. This triggers your body’s self-healing process, which will automatically start repairing the tissue and generating new healthy cells and as a result, skin.

As its name indicates, the treatment is extremely swift, lasting approximately 2-5 seconds per zap. That’s right, seconds! In most instances, we do a minimum of four zaps per verruca.

Most people find the treatment quite bearable and describe the feeling of the energy beam as a tiny sharp pain that compares to a quick needle shot. As a result, it doesn’t need local anaesthesia or dressing.

After the procedure, you may find the treated area feels a little bit tender but this shouldn’t prevent you from continuing with your normal activities. Just be mindful and do not put too much pressure on your foot that day.

With SWIFT, you’ll certainly need more than one session, but the total number depends on the location, duration, size and numbers of verrucae and how your body responds to the treatment. The majority of people need a minimum of three sessions with an interval of four weeks in between them.

After your first session, there will be no change to the appearance of verruca. But do not lose heart! Although visible results are slow and you may not see any changes before you have four sessions, the healing is still taking place. Like with all good things in life, a little bit of patience and time is required. SWIFT will activate your body’s immune system but the actual healing process will need a little longer to gather pace. This is why we leave a gap of at least four to six weeks between treatments.

Is SWIFT Microwave Verruca Treatment suitable for everyone?

Although SWIFT is a relatively safe treatment, some precautions may be necessary if you are or have the following:

Any metal pins, plates or replacement joints in your foot or ankle
Heart problems and wear a pacemaker
Neuropathy (nerve damage) in the feet
Very poor circulation
Your body doesn’t heal very well
Diabetes but only when is low risk and you have good circulation and sensations in your limbs
Immunosuppressive drugs, from cancer treatment or rheumatoid arthritis because they lower the immunity
Insensibility to pain; in this instance, you may have to give you analgesics
Children under the age of 10
Pregnant or breastfeeding as your immune system heightens and lowers during this time to protect both mother and fetus. SWIFT might be safe but the results might not be as successful as your body may not promote its own repair.

Outside these restrictions, anyone who suffers from verrucae can wave it good bye with SWIFT. Once your verruca has gone, it is normally gone for good.

Regardless, despite the fact that SWIFT encourages your body to produce the appropriate antibodies to fight the virus, promoting your immune system, this does not mean the results are permanent. If the virus has spread, another verruca might erupt or you may catch it again at some point in the future if in contact with the verruca virus.

SWIFT verruca microwave treatment offers an 86% success rate over other most traditional verruca treatments, with no aftercare needed or unwanted side effects. You can find out more about verruca and other types of treatment here.

In any case, SWIFT technology for verruca has proven that with the right protocol you can get rid of this unsightly problem effectively and quickly. For more information on how we can help you or your family manage verruca, contact us here.