Living with plantar warts can turn daily activities into painful challenges. These small, grainy growths may look harmless, but when they form on the bottom of your feet, they can add significant discomfort to every step. Without proper treatment, the virus that causes plantar warts can last for years, allowing them to return repeatedly, spread to other parts of your feet, or even to other family members.
At Clover Podiatry, Dr. Tek Fish leads a team of board-certified Vancouver podiatrists who understand the discomfort, embarrassment, and frustration plantar warts can cause and that traditional removal methods deliver disappointing results. We offer revolutionary Swift treatment to help patients eliminate warts more effectively.
Here's what you should know about this advanced therapy and how our podiatric specialists use it at our Southwest Washington practice.
Understanding the Science Behind Swift Treatment
When the human papillomavirus (HPV) enters the body through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin's surface, it causes an infection in the outer layer, resulting in plantar warts. Swift treatment represents a significant advancement in wart therapy because it addresses the root cause of the problem—the HPV virus—rather than just removing the visible wart tissue.
This innovative technology delivers low-dose microwave energy to the affected area, heating the tissue and creating a temperature differential between the skin's layers to disrupt the viral cells and trigger your body's natural immune response. Essentially, Swift helps your body recognize the HPV virus and begin fighting it. This immune activation is critical to clearing current warts and building resistance against future HPV infections.
Swift treatment has high success rates in clinical studies, with many patients requiring just three to four sessions scheduled four weeks apart to resolve their plantar warts completely.
Exploring Swift Treatment's Benefits
Swift treatment represents the most advanced approach to plantar wart therapy available today. By harnessing your body's natural immune response, it offers a more complete resolution with less pain and inconvenience than traditional methods.
Here's what makes Swift different:
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Quick procedure. Most Swift treatments take just five to ten minutes in our office. We apply the microwave energy in short two-second bursts, making it a fast option for busy patients.
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No anesthesia needed. The treatment doesn't require numbing, cutting, or breaking the skin, eliminating many drawbacks of traditional wart treatments.
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Minimal discomfort. Patients typically feel a brief heating sensation during the two-second treatment. While some discomfort might occur, it subsides quickly, unlike the lingering pain associated with freezing or acid treatments.
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Reduced scarring. This treatment is also less likely to cause scarring than surgical removal or aggressive chemical treatments.
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No downtime. With Swift treatment, you can return to your regular activities right away. There is no need for bandages, at-home wound care, or activity restrictions after the procedure.
What to Expect When Getting Swift Treatment at Our Vancouver Office
When seeking Swift treatment for plantar warts, your podiatrist's experience is critical. Our foot doctors receive specialized training in Swift technology and stay current with the latest protocols to maximize effectiveness. Here's what to expect when visiting our Vancouver podiatry practice:
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Initial consultation. During your first visit, our podiatrists will examine your feet, confirm the diagnosis of plantar warts, and determine if Swift treatment is right for you.
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Personalized care. Our doctors will create a custom treatment plan based on your medical needs, health history, and lifestyle.
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Treatment session. The Swift procedure is quick and simple. Your podiatrist will clean the area, then apply the Swift device to each wart for a two-second burst of microwave energy.
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Post-treatment. After the session, you can leave the office and resume normal activities immediately. Bandages or special wound care are not needed.
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Preventive guidance. We don't just treat your warts—we help you understand how to prevent future infections through proper foot hygiene and protective measures.
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Follow-up treatments. Most patients require three to four treatments spaced four weeks apart for optimal results. This timing allows the immune system to respond between treatments.