Plantar warts are growths that typically appear on the heels or other weight-bearing areas of the feet. These warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus enters the body through breaks in the skin, such as cuts, that are on the bottom of the feet. Plantar warts are more likely to affect children and teenagers, people with weakened immune systems, people who have a history with plantar warts, and people who walk barefoot in environments exposed to a wart-causing virus.

If you suspect you have plantar warts, you may have the following symptoms: pain or tenderness while walking, a lesion that interrupts the ridges in the skin of your foot, small fleshy lesions on the bottom of the foot, or a callus where a wart has grown inward over a well-defined spot on the skin.

HPV causes plantar warts to form and is very common. There are more than 100 kinds of the virus in existence. However, only a few of them cause warts on the feet. The other types of HPV are likely to cause warts on other parts of the body.

If you have plantar warts, your podiatrist may try different treatment methods depending on your specific case. Some treatments for plantar warts are peeling medicines (salicylic acid), freezing medicines (cryotherapy), or surgical procedures. Laser treatments and vaccines are also used to treat plantar warts.

Gelbmann Podiatry Foot and Ankle Clinic is excited to offer Swift Microwave Therapy, a revolutionary way to treat warts and resolve these lesions for good. Swift is non-destructive immunotherapy that gives you the power to defeat warts using your own body’s defenses.

What are the benefits of Swift?

• 85%+ Efficacy Rate
• Less than 1% recurrence
• Treatment time in minutes
• NO downtime between sessions
• NO bandages, blistering, or wounding
• NO at-home care

How does Swift work?

Swift attacks the root of the problem. Warts are caused by one of the various strains of HPV virus, which go undetected by the immune system. This microwave technology uses heat to awaken the immune system to the presence of HPV, so your body can now actively fight the virus. Swift is unlike other treatments that only address the symptom (a wart) versus the root cause (the HPV virus). This is why Swift ensures there is little to no chance of your wart reappearing after completing treatment.

Treatment Outlook

• Average of 3 Swift sessions
• Treatments spaced 4 weeks apart
• Follow-up appointment 12 weeks after your final treatment

What can I expect during treatment?

Microwave energy will be administered in 5 doses on the infected tissue, lasting for 2 seconds with each dose. While pain during treatment is variable, most patients will feel some level of discomfort. However, there is rarely any pain post-treatment. You are free to go back to any daily activities immediately following your appointment!

Contact us today at (312) 880-0067 S Michigan Ave. Office and (312) 243-3330 W Chicago Ave. Office to learn more or schedule an appointment.