STUBBORN VERRUCA?

Do you have a stubborn verruca causing you discomfort, pain and affecting your daily life? Podiatrists Laura and Maddie are on a mission to eradicate these pesky lesions! SWIFT is a relatively new technology that uses microwave energy to treat these pesky skin lesions. SWIFT effectively treats even the most stubborn verruca and warts. Whats so great about SWIFT is it has a treatment time in seconds, no dressings or aftercare is needed. You can continue with your normal daily activities straight after treatment. With few exceptions; most people including children, are able to have this treatment and it can even be used on hands. With an 80% success rate, Swift is the most effective verruca and wart treatment available.

Image here shows how verruca tissue infiltrates healthy skin

Let’s delve a little further a find out more about verrucas…

There are 150 genotypically different types of HPV, and 7 common strains that cause warts and verruca. Spontaneous resolution and response to treatment depends on many variables, including age, length of time the verruca has been present, where the wart is on the body, and the type of HPV. The HPV virus creates a microenvironment in the skin that encourages the survival and reproduction of the virus, effectively hiding its existence from the body’s immune system.

There is clinical evidence that shows the longer the infection has persisted, the poorer the cure rate. Verruca that are present on the feet in particular are difficult to resolve. The statistics tell us that 42% of verruca will disappear within 6 months, but if the condition persists for longer than 6 months, the chances of the virus clearing up without treatment drops to just 8%.

While warts and verruca are not life threatening, they do cause pain that can limit activities, and they can spread across the hands, feet, and to other areas of the body. But more than that there can be a psychological impact on the patient whereby they want to keep their feet covered due to embarrassment. We want to restore your confidence in your foot health and SWIFTly! (get it, hehe!)

Swift probe in action. Microwave therapy heats up the tissue causing an immune response direct to the area.

How does it work?

The key to effectively treating verruca is to trigger the body’s own immune response, rather than simply destroying the infected tissue. Independent clinical research has shown that microwave verruca treatment with Swift activates immune signalling pathways in the body, alerting the immune system to the presence of the verruca and clearing the infected tissue.

Healthy skin post treatment

What’s the treatment protocol? 

CLINICAL RESEARCH SUGGESTS MOST VERRUCAE RESOLVE AFTER 3 TREATMENTS. SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE, AND SWIFT
Week 1 -During your first treatment, your Podiatrist may lightly reduce your lesion with a blade (debride), before applying 3-5 very short treatments with Swift (usually 2 seconds in duration). This quickly raises the temperature within the skin, without breaking the surface – meaning no blisters, no padding, and no scarring. It is not uncommon for patients to feel a sharp sensation, similar to an injection, but unlike most treatments for verruca, pain felt during the treatment quickly subsides.

Swift hand piece

Week 4– Your second treatment for Swift will usually occur 4 weeks later. Some patients will see black spots appear beneath the surface of the skin after the 1st treatment, but the size of the lesion may remain the same. The Swift treatment works by reducing the depth, rather than the width. Your Podiatrist will provide advice on what to expect, but patients report a similar sensation to their 1st treatment.

Week 8 -Your third appointment will usually be your last treatment appointment, although your Podiatrist will provide specific advice based on your individual condition. Of the patients who will resolve, 93% will resolve after this final treatment.

Week 20 -Your Podiatrist will usually leave a gap of 12 weeks for the body to heal and cycle through the immune response. You should feel little to no pain from the verruca at this stage, and your normal skin should be returning where the verruca was.

 

Photo shows reaction after first SWIFT treatment

SWIFT treatment course completed

Frequently asked questions by patients considering treatment using Swift microwave therapy.

What is Swift®? Swift is a new technology, developed in the UK, which has been licenced for the general treatment of skin lesions in Podiatry and Dermatology. Swift uses microwave energy which is delivered through a special probe applied to the skin to treat the affected tissue.

Does it hurt? It is not uncommon for patients to feel a sharp sensation, similar to an injection. Unlike most treatments for verruca, pain felt during the treatment quickly subsides, and only in rare cases is there any prolonged pain. Before treatment your Podiatrist or Dermatologist may lightly reduce your lesion with a blade (debride)

What can I do after treatment? In some cases the treated area may feel sore but will not prevent you undertaking normal daily activities.

How many treatments will I need? This is dependent on how you respond to treatment. In some cases, you may need more than one treatment (these can be from 14 days to over a month apart depending on the response). Your Podiatrist or Dermatologist will be able to discuss this with you.

Can anyone receive this treatment? With a few exceptions, most people with skin lesions would be able to have this treatment. Your Podiatrist or Dermatologist will carry out an assessment prior to treatment and be able to advise you on this.

Case Study 

Master P – has had longstanding verrucas for over 10 years and now also has warts on his thumbs. Large areas of verruca tissue cover the plantar metatarsal areas on both feet. This young chap has recently started university and would like to be free of these unsightly lesions. The patient has tried all sorts of treatments over the years and has been totally disheartened. This is where SWIFT comes in! Referred from another podiatry clinic – We completed all the consent forms and medical history checks and took photos at each treatment interval.

Top photos show lesions after 2 treatments. Bottom two photos show the end of a course of 4 treatments. We have just done a top up treatment as the infection was so extensive. The client is over joyed with the results so far.

If you are worried about a lesion on your foot that you are unsure about, please book in for a podiatry appointment where we can assess the lesion and assess your suitability for a SWIFT treatment course. We can also treat warts affecting hands too. BYE BYE PESKY LESIONS! We are coming to get you!

Laura and Maddie

Podiatrists @Podology

We also have a website solely dedicated to SWIFT treatment and verrucas – there is lots of useful information on here – take a look https://www.verrucanortheast.co.uk