Cheshire Foot Clinic
Clinical trials show the most effective treatments available for Verrucae are: Falkner’s Needling Technique and Swift – Microwave Therapy
At Cheshire Foot Clinic we use both Falkner’s Needling and Verruca Microwave Therapy to rid patients of their persistent verrucae. Treatments are delivered effectively and efficiently by our experienced Podiatrists.
When you come for your assessment our Podiatrists will discuss both treatment options with you and help you to decide which would work best for you.
What are Verrucae?
Verrucae are a very common foot problem which can affect us at any age. They are caused by a virus and can be difficult to treat. Though most don’t cause us any harm and are without symptoms some verrucae are painful and can last for many years. People suffering from verrucae often find them painful, unsightly and embarrassing.
They can be difficult to treat, and many people find themselves enduring multiple therapies including over-the-counter creams and acids, freezing with cryotherapy and trying out many ineffective DIY remedies with little or no evidence to support them and which can cause damage, painful breakdowns, blistering and risk scarring.
Here’s some of the science behind the verruca treatments we offer:
Verruca Needling
Verruca needling/ Falkner’s needling technique is a minor surgical procedure done under local anaesthetic. A fine needle is used to puncture the verruca lesion at the dermo-epidermal junction multiple times under local anaesthesia. The aim is to implant infected cells into the dermis in order to stimulate an immune response to destroy the virus.
Verruca before needling procedure
2 weeks after needling procedure
Verruca 4 weeks after the needling procedure: Complete Resolution!
Due to verruca needling being performed under a local anaesthetic, patients are often pleasantly surprised by the lack of discomfort and the speed of the recovery from surgery.
A case series published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine reviewed the potential for the use of a direct needling technique in the management of plantar warts in an adult population. Following treatment of 45 patients, complete resolution of warts after eight weeks was observed in 31 (69%) cases.
Swift – Verruca Microwave Therapy
One of the best things about Swift Therapy is there is no broken skin, no dressings and no need to keep it dry, so you can do anything you want: swim, shower, run, ride, jump or play.
Most people who have stubborn warts and verrucae can benefit from this treatment. There are some exceptions, but our Podiatrist will carry out a thorough assessment to check if any of them apply to you before carrying out treatment.
Whilst it is possible to treat young children with Swift therapy we do this after considering each individual case. Our Podiatrists will discuss this with you during your child’s consultation.
Swift is a microwave technology, developed in the UK, which has been licensed for the general treatment of verrucae and warts in Podiatry.
The microwave energy is applied through a probe placed on the skin. This generates heat in the wart/verruca.
Microwaves love water and when the electric field is applied, the water molecules within the verrucae tissue try to align with the electric field causing collision between molecules which generates heat.
Immediately after treatment, there will be no change to the appearance of the wart/verruca.
Microwave treatment works by prompting an immune response and time is needed for the process to gather pace. Multiple applications are required and our Podiatrist will discuss this with you at your initial assessment.
That is why there may be a gap of up to 6 weeks between your treatments.
The number of Swift Mircrowave Therapy treatments that you need depends on how you respond to treatment.
Swift Microwave Therapy is designed to prompt a local immune response for the body to heal itself and results in a degree of localised tissue damage prompting a healing response, part of which is antibody recruitment and heat stress protein production which is known to prompt a strong healing response.
Large and multiple sites can be treated during each appointment and we can usually start your treatment at your first appointment.
As with many treatments for skin lesions, some discomfort, even pain may be experienced during treatment. Whilst this varies from person to person our Podiatrists will work with you to try to reduce the pain you experience whilst still ensuring an effective treatment.
In rare cases, minor discomfort or tingling may be experienced for 24hrs before dissipating completely.
Success
The success rate of these treatments is higher than other typical methods of removal, this can save money, countless of repeat visits and minimise discomfort and scarring associated with overuse of DIY treatments and acids.
If you have painful verrucae or you simply don’t like the way they look, please: Book an Appointment
If you need help please call 01565 655840 or email our team for advice with your booking.
Tell us about your problem by clicking on our Chatbot or download a copy of our leaflet:
Verruca: Finding Out More and Treatment Options
