Many patients with stubborn plantar warts turn to Swift therapy to finally resolve their lesions. This treatment works where many other options fail because it uncloaks the HPV virus causing warts to form, allowing your body’s immune system to recognize and fight off the unwelcome invader. As a result of this Swift immunity boost, even stubborn lesions tend to resolve. And, because your body now recognizes the underlying viral infection, Swift can also help prevent plantar wart recurrence. However, there’s no wart therapy can guarantee future immunity to infection. As such, you’ll have to take additional measures to help keep your warts from returning down the road.
The Swift Immunity Boost: Lower Than Average Recurrence Rates ![SWIFT therapy for plantar warts device]()
As mentioned, because Swift Therapy for plantar warts stimulates your own immune system, recurrence rates are lower than those associated with traditional plantar wart treatments. In fact, this study reveals that the recurrence rate following Swift is less than 1%, as opposed to a recurrence rate of between 12-19% when warts are frozen (cryotherapy.) Now, even though the odds of recurrence are very low, plantar warts can still return following treatment with microwave therapy. As such, Smyrna podiatrist Dr. Alvin Cowans still suggests following these tips to prevent a recurring plantar wart infection.
7 Ways to Prevent Plantar Wart Recurrence
Avoiding re-infection after successful wart treatment involves limiting potential exposure to the HPV virus. For that reason, we urge you to follow these 7 tips, both in your home and when you’re heading out into the world.
- Never walk around barefoot, especially when you’re in public spaces. High traffic areas like gym locker rooms and pool decks are prime locations for plantar wart infection. By keeping your feet covered at all times when traversing these spaces, you can help prevent a plantar wart recurrence.
- Keep your socks clean and fresh. Change them every day and consider carrying a spare pare in your bag to switch into if your feet get damp or sweaty. (Bonus: this can also help reduce your risk for an athlete’s foot infection.)
- Stick with clean surfaces. Especially after successful wart treatment, make sure to clean and disinfect any surface you’ve touched with bare feet, from yoga mats and flip flops to custom orthotics.
- Never share your stuff. Every member of your household should use a personal towel, and shoes should never be shared or swapped. This practice will help prevent wart recurrence in those who were originally infected, and it can also keep infections from spreading between family members.
- And practice good hygiene. Be sure to wash your feet every day, using soap and warm—but not hot—water. After cleansing, thoroughly dry your feet, paying special attention to the spots between your toes.
- Switch your shoes each day. Rotating the pairs you wear each day, leaving at least 24 hours between each wearing, allows any lingering moisture to dry from your footwear. This reduces your risk for all forms of fungal infections, while also helping prevent a plantar wart recurrence.
- Always keep your toenails trimmed. Regularly trimming your toenails, straight across without leaving jagged edges, reduces your risk for an ingrown toenail. It also means you’re less likely to develop a jagged nail edge that can pierce your skin, making it easier for the HPV virus to enter your blood stream and cause a wart recurrence.
Need more information on Swift therapy? Worried about plantar wart recurrences? We’re here to help. Just contact our office to request an appointment, and we’ll guide you through the treatment process, helping you get rid of painful plantar warts for good!
