Swift Microwave Therapy for the treatment of Verrucas

What is a Swift Machine?

The Swift machine is a recently new treatment that we have here at the Waikato Podiatry clinic. We are the only clinic in the Waikato that has one of these units. The Swift machine is used for treating plantar warts, or verrucae.

How Successful is the Swift Machine?

A lot of topical applications, like acids and cryotherapy, or the freezing of warts have a success rate of around 35 to 50%. However, the Swift has a success rate of about 80 – 85%. So, this shows how really effective this treatment is.It usually takes 3-4 applications sometimes less, however there is no pain afterwards and you can continue with your daily sports activities, even swimming.

How Does it Work?

The Swift machine uses microwave therapy to excite the water molecules in the epidermis. This then results in an increase of heat shock proteins and reaction causes the body’s immune system to activate and attack the verruca. Verruca (HPV) virus is very good at hiding in the skin cells and that is why it’s often hard to treat.

You would normally need around three treatments spaced one month apart. The good thing about the Swift treatment is that you can get down off the chair and you can walk away. You can partake in any activities that you would normally do, like swimming, running or any of those sorts of things. You do not need a dressing, nor do you need to have any acid on your foot, nothing like that is needed post operatively.

The treatment lasts only a few seconds, and it works by elevating the dermal temperature of the skin to about five or six degrees higher than the normal body temperature. That is enough to initiate the heat shock proteins and the changes at the cellular level. This means it is working alongside your body, and not against it. It targets the heat sensitive human papilloma virus which causes the warts underneath your foot.

What Should I Do?

Go online and have a read up about it all. Please come into the clinic and we will assess your foot and confirm that it is a verruca, and then give you the other options that are available.

Visit us at Waikato Podiatry and we will get rid of your verruca!