SWIFT is usually where we start with a stubborn verruca, because there’s very little aftercare and you can normally get on with your day straight away. Needling may suit you better if you’d rather have fewer appointments and don’t mind a longer recovery.
There are two main clinic treatments available for shifting stubborn verrucas. If you’ve spent months on acid and plasters and your verruca still isn’t budging, here’s how the SWIFT vs verruca needling comparison shakes out.
How Do SWIFT And Verruca Needling Work?
Both the SWIFT verruca treatment and verruca needling get your immune system to notice a virus it’s been happily ignoring, but they work in very different ways.
With SWIFT microwave therapy, we hold a small probe against the verruca and deliver short bursts of microwave energy. We may pare back hard skin first, but there’s no cutting into the verruca, no anaesthetic, and no needles.
With verruca needling, we numb the area with local anaesthetic, then puncture the verruca repeatedly with a sterile needle, pushing the virus somewhere your immune system can’t overlook it.
Which Treatment Hurts More?
Neither treatment is overly painful for most patients. You do feel both happening though, and the sensation is different. SWIFT feels like a sudden burst of heat lasting two to three seconds, which quickly fades. It’s sharp, we won’t pretend otherwise, but it’s over fast, and numbing cream is available beforehand.
Verruca needling is carried out under local anaesthetic, so your foot is numbed before treatment. The injection can sting, but you won’t feel the needling itself. Afterwards, the treated area can feel bruised and sore for several days as it heals. Unlike SWIFT, needling punctures the skin, which is why it involves more aftercare and a longer recovery.
How Many Sessions Will You Need?
SWIFT usually takes three sessions, four weeks apart, and we can treat several verrucas in one appointment.
Needling usually takes one or two sessions. If you have more than one verruca, we often find that treating one prompts the others to clear too.
Fewer appointments doesn’t mean the verruca goes faster, though. With either treatment, your immune system still has to do the work, and that takes time.
What About Recovery And Aftercare?
After SWIFT, there’s no dressing, you can get your foot wet, and you can usually carry on as normal. It may feel a little sore, but it won’t stop you getting on with your day.
Needling takes more planning. You can’t drive or walk on your foot while it’s numb, so you’ll need a lift home. It stays bandaged for around ten days, and usually feels bruised and sore for two or three days, sometimes up to ten.
If you’re on your feet all day at work, do the school run or have a race coming up, the recovery time is usually what puts people off, as it’s an inconvenience.
Which Treatment Suits You?
SWIFT suits most people who want treatment to fit around everyday life. Needling may be better if you’d rather have fewer appointments, would prefer treatment under local anaesthetic, or aren’t suitable for SWIFT.
SWIFT isn’t suitable for younger children, or for anyone with higher-risk diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling in their feet. If you have diabetes, check with your GP before booking SWIFT. If your diabetes is low risk it may not be an issue, but it’s always worth making sure it’s safe for you.
Pregnancy, blood-thinning medication and your age can also change our recommendation, and we’ll go through all of it with you first. If there are signs of an infected verruca, we’ll treat the infection before the verruca. For younger children, or anyone for whom painless treatment matters most, Omega low-level laser is usually the one we choose.
What If SWIFT Doesn’t Clear It?
A verruca that’s still there after three SWIFT sessions hasn’t necessarily won. Your immune response can carry on after the last session, so we reassess it and look for signs of improvement.
If it’s responding, a bit more time may be all it needs. If there’s been little or no change, needling is worth considering, although it isn’t guaranteed to succeed where SWIFT hasn’t.
SWIFT Or Needling At Northwich Foot Clinic
There are other verruca treatments, but once a verruca has seen off home treatment, these are the two we’re most likely to talk through with you. Neither is guaranteed, which is why we assess your foot and your health before recommending either. Book a verruca assessment at our Northwich clinic and we’ll help you choose.
