The Best Way to Treat Warts
As Podiatrists one of the most common skin problems we help clients with is warts.
There are many at-home treatments that people try before coming to see us and usually, these with do very little or leave the area sore.
So what is the best way to get rid of your warts?
What is a wart?
Warts are non-cancerous growths caused by a skin infection with the human papillomavirus.
There are several types of warts
There are several types of warts that all look a little different, however, the best way to describe a wart is as a grainy, bumpy lump with irregular edges that can have a ‘cauliflower-esque’ appearance, often with little black dots in the middle.
These can be painful with a squeeze or to stand on if on the bottom of the foot.
For more information on warts read these two articles:
I have a Foot Wart...What should I do?
What does a Podiatrist do?
Should I treat a wart?
Without treatment, warts tend to get bigger and the bigger they get, the more painful they tend to become.
Swift is the latest technology in the treatment of warts
Warts can also spread if you don’t treat them, so yes, you should have your wart treated! Read more about treating warts
How can I get rid of a wart?
During my years as a Podiatrist, I have heard many different stories about how clients have tried to treat their warts.
Here is a lift of my favourite stories that are COMPLETELY not science-based and NOT RECCOMENDED if you are considering treating your wart.
- Rub thistle milk on the wart
- Wee on it
- Sell it to someone else for $1
- Cover it with duct tape
- Use lemon juice
- Paint it with nail polish
- Cut a potato in half, rub one half on the wart and bury the other half under a full moon (my personal favourite!!!)
The best evidence in the medical journals suggests that the following treatments are the most effective at fixing warts:
- Use a strong salicylic acid paste every 2 weeks in thick felt padding.
- A surgical procedure called needling under local anaesthetic that mechanically destroys the wart and improves the body’s immune response to the wart.
- Swift microwave wart treatment
What is Swift microwave wart treatment?
The newest and most effective type of treatment for warts is the Swift Microwave wart treatment.
Due to our Podiatrists specialist training in the use of this advanced equipment, they can also provide treatment to warts on other areas of the body like the hands if it is done in conjucntion with the treatment for foot warts!
How Does Swift Work?
Swift uses a form of non-ionising microwave energy emitted into the skin to a predetermined depth to quickly heat up the wart tissue.
This creates Heat Shock within infected skin cells and causes the wart to release certain proteins into the circulatory system, allowing the immune system to recognise the infection and begin to fight the virus.
With Swift, the wart is exposed to 5, two-second doses of microwave energy.
For small warts, this is usually all that is needed.
Will I feel anything during Swift treatment?
The rapid heating of the wart to 40-45℃ can cause discomfort, however, this lasts for only a second.
Swift is a effective treatment of warts
This temperature range is merely a few degrees warmer than a hot bath and will not cause any serious tissue damage or scarring.
How many treatments will I need?
This is dependant on how you respond to treatment.
We find most clients require 3 treatments or less with each treatment 4 weeks apart.
Our podiatrists will be able to discuss your individualised management plan once they have performed a thorough assessment of you.
What to expect after Swift treatment
It is unlikely that you will see any changes in the appearance of the lesion immediately after treatment.
It is normal to take a week or even months before noticing any transformation, as the wart will resolve from the base of the lesion and not the surface.
Small black dots may appear; this is a good sign that your immune system is responding to treatment.
What do I need to do after treatment?
Generally, no care is required after Swift Microwave Therapy so you can get back to living your life in the way you want to.
In <1% of cases, a small, superficial blister may appear.
If this occurs, you may contact your Podiatrist who can advise you on what action to take.
Usually, the intact blister can be left alone, however, in rare cases, mild discomfort can persist for up to 48 hours.
If you notice a break in the skin, apply a topical antiseptic; cover the area with a dressing and contact your Podiatrist for further advice.
What to expect after treatment
It is unlikely that you will see any changes in the appearance of the lesion immediately after treatment.
It is normal to take a week or even months before noticing any transformation, as the wart will resolve from the base of the lesion and not the surface.
Small black dots may appear; this is a good sign that your immune system is responding to treatment.
Case Study
The below photos demonstrate a case study of 10-year-old boy who suffered from these painful warts for several years before trying Swift Microwave wart treatment.
AS with any case study, this demonstrates what can be possible with Swift treatment, your individual results may vary.
Warts before Swift treatment
Warts 1 month after Swift treatment
Find out more about Swift microwave wart treatment here!
Need more help?
If you have warts, the first thing to do is book an appointment with one of the Podiatrists at Complete Podiatry for a comprehensive assessment to determine the best course of treatment for your wart.
Once this is done, we will develop a structured management plan that outlines our best advice for how to treat your wart and help you to return to doing the things you love to do.
I'm so confident we can help with your warts that I'd love to chat with you personally, it's what I'm passionate about!
Just send us a message or call us 08 8330 0004 & I'll be more than happy to explain how we can help you build an amazing life from the feet up!
Anthony Robinson
Director of Complete Podiatry