Verruca needling success rate is dependent on the immune system. From the available clinical evidence and research collated it is about 70%. This is high when compared to other treatment types. Another treatment which relies predominantly on an immune response is SWIFT microwave ablation. This offers a reported 77% - 90% resolution over a period of time. Treatment selection for a patient’s particular verruca infection is important. What works for one won’t be ideal for another. It must be noted that not all podiatrists are trained in more advanced verruca treatment options.

So why choose needling over other verruca treatments? 

A main rationale for choosing needling over others treatments, is that it is great for treating  multiple verrucae. The rationale is, if you successfully spike an immune response by treating just one verruca,  you will in effect knock out the others. This is beneficial when there are many to treat and in difficult places on the foot. When treating multiple verrucae with Swift, the user only has 15 minutes of work time for one single use applicator tip. Less treatments are required for a needling mediated immune response than with the Swift.

A good out come for a mediated verruca treatment  is to observe natural regression of the verrucae over a 1-3 month period. It can take longer. Patience is required. Everybody has a different immunological status. It is hard for podiatrists to be exact on predicting an individual’s immune response with regard to timings. Sometimes the presenting verrucae just gets smaller and less pronounced. This is still regarded as a positive outcome, as it suggests that the HPV viral replication is decreasing. Maybe another needling treatment is required just to initiate a final nudge.

Recent research suggests that the HPV virus is never completely gone. It lurks under the body’s immune radar. The needling has mediated a secondary inflammatory response which helps to keep the virus in check. This means that there is no replication of the virus within the skin’s basal layer. The virus has been put into a latent state by the body’s defending T-cells. Unfortunately, this protective mechanism can be upturned if the body is put under stress through illness and poor health. If the immune system becomes compromised this protective state diminishes and a new verruca infection can appear. This helps to explain why children get verrucas, then get rid of them and then randomly as an adult get a new infection, despite feet never been near a swimming pool or dirty shower area.

The HPV has been in a state of latency. This state of latency can occur several months, years after what appears to be a successful verruca treatment. Patients report developing a new infection or that the old verruca has come back. This is highly frustrating, but all is not lost. If a verruca was successfully treated before it demonstrates that an immune response can be triggered. The verruca can be successfully treated again, or as the research  suggests, put back on the box for the time being. Out of site, out of mind.