What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are growths that typically appear on the heels or other weight-bearing areas of the feet. These warts are caused by an infection of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus enters the body through breaks in the skin, such as cuts, that are on the bottom of the feet. The warts can be one single lesion or multiple lesions. Sometimes they can look like a cluster, referred to as a mosaic wart. The warts separate skin lines and often have tiny black dots that are the wart's blood vessels.
How are plantar warts treated?
Conventional treatments for warts include destruction of the wart tissue. The problem is that the treatment can also damage normal tissue surrounding the wart and leave scars. The treatments found at the local pharmacy include freezing and acid destruction, which do not work well. There is also a surgical option, to have the wart surgically excised. In our office, we have a new approach to treating plantar warts. We offer the Swift Microwave therapy, which cures plantar warts. Instead of destroying the wart and surrounding tissue, the Swift system is not destructive. Swift treatment triggers the body's own immune system to get rid of the wart.
How does the Swift Microwave treatment work?
The Swift machine uses a low-powered microwave energy which is applied to the wart, and penetrates 3 mm. The treatment is very quick. The microwave energy targets and heats up the water molecules within the wart. This reaction interacts with the proteins of the virus and exposes them to the body's immune system. Then the immune system starts fighting the virus. Because warts reside in the upper layers of the skin, they are relatively separated from the immune system, leaving them to fester and grow. When the Swift treatment activates the immune system, the body's immune system recognized the HP virus causing the wart and cures the viral infection.
Is the Swift treatment painful?
Some people report minor discomfort during the 2-3 second that the applicator is placed over the wart, like a kind of pinching sensation. The treatment cnsists of five applications, 2-3 seconds each, very quick treatment. After the treatment, there is no lingering pain or side effects. The treatment does not produce blisters or scars. There is no need for care after the treatment. You can resume your regular activity after the Swift treatment.
What to expect with the Swift Microwave treatment for plantar warts:
The typical treatment for plantar warts is one treatment of five applications (2-3 seconds per application) once a month for approximately 3-4 months. Of course, it depends on if you have one wart or ten that you are treating, and if they are small or large. The average treatment is once a month for 3 months. There is no need to use any medication inbetween treatments.
Is the Swift treatment covered by insurance?
No. The Swift treatment is a cash service that we offer. Each treatment is $300 (which includes the office visit and debridement of the warts after the treatment). Most warts need three treatments, one month apart.
Come in to be evaluated to see if the Swift treatment is the best treatment for you.
If you have plantar warts, call our office. We have amazing results. We have the new Swift wart treatment that is fast and effective in getting rid of stubborn warts. Freezing does not help remove warts. Also, sometimes you might have a plugged sweat gland that you might think is a wart. It is important to be properly diagnosed so you can have the appropriate treatment.