Plantar Warts
Are You Tired of Dealing With Warts?
At Ramos Foot and Ankle Center, we are excited to offer a brand new and highly effective treatment for plantar warts. If you have struggled with warts that keep coming back, Swift technology may be the solution you have been looking for.
Plantar Warts — A Common and Stubborn Viral Infection
The word "plantar" means "of the sole" in Latin. Unlike other types of warts, plantar warts are especially painful. This is because the pressure from walking and standing forces them to grow inward into your skin. Like all warts, plantar warts develop from the human papillomavirus, also known as HPV. Specifically, types 1, 2, 4, 60, and 63 are responsible for plantar warts. Furthermore, underneath the skin, the wart develops finger-like roots that grow deeper over time. As a result, treating plantar warts from the surface alone is very difficult and often ineffective.
What is Swift?
Swift is a cutting-edge FDA-cleared technology that effectively removes plantar warts. During treatment, Dr. Ramos delivers low-dose microwave energy through a specialized probe directly into the wart. This stimulates your body's natural immune response to fight the underlying HPV virus. In other words, Swift addresses the root cause of the wart — not just the surface symptom. Therefore, patients achieve significantly better and longer lasting results compared to traditional wart removal methods.
What to Expect
Swift treatment typically involves three to four sessions spaced four weeks apart. This schedule aligns with your body's natural immune cycle, giving your system time to respond between visits. Each session lasts only five to ten minutes. Furthermore, Swift is what we call a "sock off, sock on" treatment. This means there is minimal preparation, no breaking of the skin, and no bandages required. In addition, you do not need to do any home treatment between sessions. As a result, you can return to your normal daily activities immediately after each visit.
How Effective is Swift?
Swift is highly effective because it harnesses the power of your own immune system to target the root cause of the wart — the HPV virus. As a result, Swift achieves significantly higher success rates compared to traditional wart removal methods. Furthermore, because it addresses the underlying cause rather than just the surface of the wart, patients experience longer lasting results.
Does It Hurt?
Most patients feel some level of discomfort during treatment. However, the sensation is brief and manageable. During each dose, Swift rapidly elevates the temperature of the infected tissue over just 2 seconds. Furthermore, the discomfort stops immediately when the energy delivery ends. In addition, most patients report very little pain after the procedure. In fact, some patients notice an immediate reduction in pain levels. Therefore, all patients can return to their normal daily activities right after treatment.
When Should You Come See Us?
If you suspect you have a plantar wart, contact Dr. Ramos as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely the wart is to persist and spread. Look out for these common symptoms:
- A feeling of walking on painful pebbles in your shoes
- Pain when you press on the sides of the wart
- A circular flat spot on the skin with a depressed area in the middle
- A yellowed crusty appearance with small black dots
- A lesion that is painful, bleeding, or changing color
- Warts that keep coming back or multiply despite treatment
- Discomfort that prevents you from doing normal activities
- Poor sensation in your feet
- Uncertainty about whether the lesion is actually a wart
If you notice any of these signs, contact Ramos Foot and Ankle Center today. Early treatment leads to faster results and prevents the wart from spreading further.