Help! I Think I Have a Wart
Jul 25, 2024
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So, you've discovered a wart. No need to panic—warts are common. About 10% of the adult population have warts, and as many as 20% of school-aged children have them. Although the thought of a wart can be off-putting, there are many options to get rid of them.
Our providers offer SWIFT wart removal here at NYC Foot & Ankle Center in the Manhattan Valley neighborhood of the Upper West Side. This wart removal treatment is safe for everyone in your family, including children, teens, and adults.
If you have a wart, here’s what you need to know.
Warts — highly contagious small growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) — can appear anywhere on your body, but they’re most common on your hands and feet. When they form on the plantar area (i.e. sole) of your feet, they’re called plantar warts. They might look a little scary, but they're usually harmless.
Warts are easily picked up by the virus through direct contact with someone with a wart or by touching something the person used. The virus can enter your skin through tiny cuts or abrasions. It’s more likely to spread in warm, moist environments like showers, locker rooms, and swimming pools.
Because there are many different types of skin growths, it’s important to confirm that you have a wart before starting any treatment. For example, seborrheic keratosis — a noncancerous (benign) skin growth that often appears as you age — can look similar to a wart.
The most important thing you can do to prevent spreading a wart to others in your family or to your other foot is to practice good hygiene.
Over-the-counter (OTC) wart products with salicylic acid help remove warts over time by exfoliating away layers of skin. These come in various forms like gels, liquids, and pads. You typically need to apply the treatment once or twice a day. Use a bandage to keep the treatment in place and protect the area.
At-home treatments may not be enough. The salicylic acid concentration is lower in OTC versions of wart products, and plantar warts can be hard to fully eradicate. That’s where we come in. You might consider professional podiatric care for your wart if:
Don’t wait for your symptoms to get worse. You don’t have to struggle with OTC first. If you have a wart, give us a call.
If you have a wart that isn’t going away with at-home treatments, your provider may recommend the SWIFT treatment.
The SWIFT wart removal treatment targets the source of your plantar wart — human papillomavirus (HPV) — with targeted microwave energy. And that’s something no salicylic acid cream can do!
Before your treatment, your NYC Foot & Ankle Center provider cleanses your treatment area and administers a local anesthetic. Once you’re numb, they insert a small microwave probe into each wart and send a dose of microwave energy to your wart. The energy waves stimulate your body’s immune response and tackle the HPV infection.
Once your wart is dead, it falls off. Most people need only one SWIFT treatment per wart.
The goal of the SWIFT treatment is to get rid of your wart so you can get lasting relief. Here are three more reasons to consider SWIFT treatment for your wart:
SWIFT treatment typically takes only 30-45 minutes per session and often requires just one treatment to eradicate your wart. In contrast, OTC treatments can take several weeks or even months of daily application to achieve similar results.
SWIFT uses microwave energy to specifically target the HPV virus causing your wart, while also stimulating your body's immune response to fight off the infection. OTC treatments like salicylic acid work by gradually peeling away your wart, which can be less precise and sometimes less effective, especially for stubborn or deep-rooted warts.
After SWIFT treatment, there’s typically no need for prolonged recovery or ongoing maintenance. OTC treatments often require continuous care and can cause skin irritation or discomfort over the treatment period.
To learn more about the SWIFT treatment and if it’s right for you, contact our office to schedule a wart removal consultation today. You can call us or utilize our online booking tool.