At Feet By Pody, we love being able to offer the most up-to-date techniques to solve the foot health problems we see on a daily basis. So we’re always looking out for the best, most effective and non-invasive ways to treat our patients.
Our new Swift microwave system is at the forefront of verrucae treatment options across the country. Here’s everything you need to know about this modern treatment option for an old problem.
What Is Swift Microwave Treatment?
Developed in the UK, Swift microwave treatment is specifically designed to help eradicate painful verrucae. The small Swift handheld device is held against the skin, sending microwaves into the infected cells to destroy them.
How Do the Microwaves Work?
Microwaves penetrate the skin to the exact depth required to reach the infected cells forming the verruca, meaning there is no damage caused to the surrounding healthy skin. The microwaves cause the water molecules inside the cells to move, vibrating and colliding, which creates heat. The heat destroys the infection from within the cells.
Why Is Microwave Therapy Used?
As described by the College of Podiatry, verrucae are plantar warts that commonly appear on the soles of the feet and are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). While no one is exempt from the possibility of developing a verruca, they are most common in children and young adults, thanks to the environments in which the verruca-causing bacteria are found. Lengthy treatment methods, therefore, can be particularly disruptive to the active lives of our young patients.
Benefits of Swift microwave therapy include:
- Less invasive: having a small probe held next to your skin can be a lot less intimidating than the idea of cryotherapy or needling. There’s also no need for any anaesthesia, so it’s a good option if patients are nervous about more invasive techniques.
- Less wound care required: unlike cryotherapy and needling where wound dressings need to be kept cleaned and changed often, microwave therapy offers a simpler option with no dressings or open wounds to consider.
- Quicker recovery time: as there is no anaesthesia required or open wounds, you can go about your daily activities straightaway with the use of regular painkillers if necessary.
Treating verrucae can be a painful process depending on the severity of the infection, which is why it is so important to seek help early on if you notice what you think may be a verruca. Cryotherapy and needling are alternative treatments for verrucae and may be recommended for you, if Swift microwave treatment is not suitable.
Microwave therapy, whilst less invasive than more traditional methods, can still take several months to have a full effect so we usually recommend fortnightly check-ups to monitor treatment progress.
Is Microwave Therapy Safe?
As advised by Swift, the developers of the technology, microwaves have safely been used within the medical field for over 30 years. Due to the relatively low energy levels used, microwaves are safe to use and cause no damage to DNA, targeting only the specific cells we want it to.
If you or a loved one is suffering from painful verrucae, contact the friendly team at Feet By Pody today and book an appointment to discuss your treatment options.