Swift Microwave Wart

Are you tired of dealing with stubborn, painful warts? At Lincoln Park Podiatry, we offer advanced wart treatment options, including Swift® microwave therapy.

Plantar warts are a common viral infection caused by HPV. Because the pressure of walking and standing pushes plantar warts deeper into the skin, they can be painful and particularly difficult to treat. If traditional treatments haven't worked, Swift may offer another option for treating stubborn plantar warts. In addition to swift, we offer topicals and surgical options.

What are Warts/ Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are a common viral infection of the foot caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Unlike many other types of warts, plantar warts can be particularly painful because pressure from standing and walking pushes the wart deeper into the skin.

Plantar warts most commonly develop on the bottom of the foot and can be difficult to treat with over-the-counter products or traditional wart treatments. The skin over the wart may become thickened and bumpy, making it even more difficult to treat from the surface.

You may also notice small dark dots within the wart. These are sometimes mistakenly called “seeds,” but they are actually small blood vessels within the wart that help supply it.

Because plantar warts are caused by HPV, simply removing the visible portion of the wart does not always prevent it from returning. This is one reason persistent plantar warts can be so frustrating for patients.

Here is an example of what a wart looks like before and after treatment.  Although this is a single lesion they also occur in clusters

What is Swift?

Swift is a cutting-edge, FDA approved technology that has proven to be highly effective in the removal of plantar warts. It delivers low-dose microwave energy through a specialized probe that targets and effectively treats the underlying HPV virus by stimulating a natural immune response in the body. We like to say that we’re addressing the root cause; not the symptom.

How does SWIFT work?

Below is a short video explaining how SWIFT works to rid the body of warts/ verrucae.

Swift Microwave: Treatment Overview from Emblation on Vimeo.

What to Expect

Swift protocol involves between 3 and 4 treatments, spaced 4 weeks apart; aligning with the body’s natural immune cycle. Each treatment lasts only 5-10 minutes and is what we call a “sock off - sock on” treatment:

• NO burning of the skin
• NO daily bandages and messy ointments
• NO blistering acids
• NO painful weekly visits
• NO surgery!

***AND patients are able to resume daily activities immediately post-treatment.

How Effective Are Other Wart Treatments?

Traditional wart treatments can require multiple treatments and may have a higher chance of recurrence. Clinical studies have reported the following results:

• Cryotherapy (freezing): Approximately 50–70% success rates, with recurrence reported in some studies.

• Salicylic acid: Approximately 24% success rates in certain studies, with recurrence also possible.

How Is Swift Different?

Swift microwave therapy offers a different approach to treating stubborn warts and other skin lesions. Clinical studies have reported success rates of up to 85% for certain types of warts and skin lesions.

Swift uses precisely delivered microwave energy to target the affected tissue and stimulate the body's natural immune response. Unlike treatments that physically freeze, burn, or remove the wart, Swift is designed to address the lesion while activating an immune response that may help the body recognize and eliminate the underlying infection.

Does it hurt?

While pain is variable and patient-specific, most patients will feel some level of discomfort as infected tissue temperatures are rapidly elevated over a 2- 4 second dose of energy. However, the pain immediately subsides following cessation of energy delivery and there is very limited post-procedural pain, in fact, some report an immediate reduction in pain levels. All patients are able to continue with day-to-day activities immediately following treatment, some come on their lunch break!

When you should come to see us

It’s important to visit a podiatrist if you suspect or feel that you have a plantar wart and are seeking removal. The longer you wait to seek treatment, the more likely the wart is to persist. Here are some common symptoms to look out for:

• You may get the feeling of “painful pebbles” in your shoes.
• You may experience pain when you compress the sides of the wart.
• You may see a circular flat spot on the skin with a depressed area in the middle.
• They may appear “yellowed” with a crust; small black dots can be an easy give away.
• The lesion on your foot is painful, bleeding, or has changed color.
• Treatments you have tried do not work, and the wart reoccurs or multiplies.
• Discomfort that prevents you from doing regular activities.
• Poor sensation in your feet.
• You are unsure if the lesion is a wart.

Swift Wart Treatment at Lincoln Park Podiatry

Lincoln Park Podiatry was among the first offices in Chicago to offer Swift microwave therapy. Our team has extensive experience using Swift to treat stubborn warts and other difficult-to-treat skin lesions.

If you have a wart that has not responded to over-the-counter products, salicylic acid, or freezing treatments, Swift may be an option worth discussing.

Click here to schedule a visit!