Struggling to get rid of plantar warts? SWIFT Microwave Therapy, with an 85% success rate, could be the solution you’ve been seeking! After treating so many patients with stubborn plantar warts, Houston podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider now offers SWIFT to help resolve your lesions without the hassle of other treatments like freezing, acid or surgery. Here’s what you need to know about how this therapy works, why it’s so effective and what you can expect from this treatment option.
Is SWIFT Microwave Therapy the Best Way to Treat Stubborn Plantar Warts?
Most people with plantar warts have tried everything: freezing, acid or even surgery…and they still come back! Patients come to our Houston podiatry practice after months or years of failed treatments, convinced that nothing will work for their stubborn warts. Now, the problem with traditional wart treatments isn’t that they don’t work at all…it’s that they only address part of the problem. They’re treating the visible symptom—the wart—rather than the cause, which is the viral infection. You see plantar warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which can hide and remain dormant in your skin, even after the visible wart is removed. Luckily, SWIFT treatment for plantar warts works differently by helping your body identify and fight the virus.
Microwave Energy vs Cryotherapy (Liquid Nitrogen)
Freezing with liquid nitrogen destroys the wart tissue, but it doesn’t teach your immune system to recognize and fight the virus. While the treatment destroys the visible wart tissue, it fails to address the underlying cause of infection. This is where SWIFT Microwave Therapy represents a completely different approach. Instead of just destroying tissue, it actually activates your immune system to fight the virus that causes the warts. And this immune activation is what makes SWIFT so effective for warts that haven’t responded to other treatment options.
How SWIFT Fights the Virus That Causes Warts ![SWIFT microwave therapy]()
Remember, plantar warts are caused by a virus, not just a skin problem. The HPV virus lives under the skin, and the immune system often doesn’t recognize the infection. Now, when activated, your immune system is incredibly sophisticated and can eliminate most viral infections quickly. However, the HPV virus that causes plantar warts has evolved and found ways to hide from your immune system, flying under the radar and allowing the infection to persist for months or even years.
Traditional treatments often fail because, acid, freezing and surgery only remove surface level tissue. The virus stays dormant and keeps returning because your immune system still doesn’t recognize it as a threat.
In contrast, Microwave Energy Therapy—specifically, SWIFT therapy—works by delivering targeted microwave energy to the wart. This energy heats tissue to stimulate a natural immune response by unveiling the virus to your immune system.
Understanding the Science
The science behind this system is amazing, and based on decades of research on how your body responds to viral infections: microwave energy creates controlled heating in the wart tissue. When tissue is heated to specific temperatures, it releases proteins and other cellular components that act like alarm signals to the immune system. These alarm signals cause damage associated with changed molecular patterns, directing your immune system’s attention to this area. This heating process exposes viral proteins to your immune system in a way that finally allows your body to recognize the infection and mount an effective response. This eliminates not just the physical wart, but the underlying viral infection for lasting results. In fact, we say that microwave therapy can ‘cure’ warts in approximately 85% of patients.
SWIFT vs Traditional Wart Treatment Options
What makes it different from other treatments is that SWIFT doesn’t damage healthy tissue or skin around the warts. The treatment is quick, lasting just 5-10 minutes per session, and you don’t have to deal with any wounds or bandages afterward. You can literally walk out of the office and resume your normal activities immediately.
Key Advantages of SWIFT Microwave Therapy
These are the top 5 reasons our patients prefer SWIFT to traditional wart removal options.
- No needles or injections. Many patients put off wart treatment specifically because they’re afraid of injections, and SWIFT eliminates that barrier completely.
- No down time. You can go back to work, school or sports immediately after treatment. There’s no need to keep the area dry, no bandages to change and no activity restrictions. This is particularly important for athletes who need to stay consistent with training time.
- High success rates. Even when other treatments fail, this treatment is especially effective. Studies show success rates around 85%, which is significantly higher than other wart removal options.
- Stimulates your body to fight the virus. Not only will SWIFT help clear the wart, it also gets rid of the underlying cause. This immune activation often provides protection against future wart development, something traditional treatments can’t offer.
- Fewer treatments needed. Most warts resolve within 3-5 SWIFT Microwave Therapy sessions, compared to multiple treatments often required with freezing or acid. This translates to fewer office visits and less disruption to your schedule.
Who is a Candidate for SWIFT Microwave Wart Therapy?
Ideal candidates include people with chronic plantar warts, recurring warts after freezing or surgery; kids over the age of 8; and older adults. It works particularly well for patients who are frustrated after multiple failed treatments.
When might another treatment be better? Situations where warts are very large or clustered. You may also need a different wart removal option if you have a medical condition in which immune stimulation is not advised. People taking immunosuppressive medications or those with autoimmune conditions may not be good candidates for SWIFT therapy.
Still, for those who are candidates, the treatment process is fast and effective. There is no numbing or injections required—most patients describe any discomfort experienced as tolerable and lasting only a few seconds. You can walk right out the door afterwards with no limitations or restrictions.
Ready to find a lasting solution to those stubborn, recurring warts? SWIFT Microwave Therapy could finally resolve your frustration. Simply contact our office at 713-785-7881 or by following this link to request an appointment. When you come in to see Dr. Schneider, he will examine your lesions and determine if this is the best treatment option for your needs!
