Pioneering microwave technology looks to next chapter following podiatry success
An exciting skin treatment device has made its first crossover breakthrough into an aesthetic clinic, after taking the podiatry world by storm.
Emblation’s Swift® microwave treatment – which helped earn the tech start up eight-figure backing from specialist health investors – will now be offered in a non-podiatry setting.
MySkyn Clinic in Bradford is the first aesthetic/dermal clinic in the UK to offer the treatment, after the founders were stunned at the results delivered for their patients.
Meanwhile the move is a vital bridgehead into the aesthetic sector for Emblation, as ongoing research is likely to see its device approved for an increasing number of skin conditions – including pre-cancerous skin lesions where initial studies have shown excellent outcomes.
Dr Uzma Qureshi, an NHS GP and co-founder of MySkyn, was inspired to set up an aesthetic clinic after gaining experience in plastic surgery. She told how she decided to test the Swift device after spotting a gap in the market for large numbers of people afflicted by verrucae and warts.
She added: “We were finding that a lot of our patients were enquiring about verrucae and warts and although we do have some treatments that we can offer, often they weren’t very effective.
“Then I came across the Swift and I looked at the journal papers and the clinical trials and they were really impressive.”
Uzma was keen to test the Swift machine before a potential purchase, so chose a patient who had suffered with severe, long-term verrucae. That patient underwent three Swift treatments, each four weeks apart, and had a full clearance.
She added: “Frankly we were blown away by the results. So far, all of our patients have achieved phenomenal results and clearance of their warts and verrucae which they have really, really, really struggled to find treatment for. So, we love having it in our repertoire.”
Emblation has just passed its 100,000-treatment landmark in the UK since launching its Swift device into podiatry clinics in late 2016. There are now over 400 clinics in the UK offering the treatment and almost 1000 clinicians trained in its use.
The portable, microwave device offers a simple and effective solution for patients whose lives have been blighted by persistent verrucae, which affect millions of people. As a result, Emblation’s proprietary technology has won widespread praise and recognition within both the medical and technology arena for its results.
Sadia Khan, co-owner of MySkyn and a prescribing pharmacist, has seen countless verrucae patients let down by traditional treatments and she added: “I have seen lots of patients try over the counter medication, I’ve referred them to the GP and many of the treatments or medications have not worked for them.
“We do a range of treatments here for warts and verrucae. However, a lot of them aren’t suitable for certain patients. Swift has allowed us to open up to a bigger clientele-patient base and offer a variety of treatments to the body for a condition that is quite common actually.”
Emblation is now successfully offering its Swift technology to patients across numerous countries including the USA, Canada, Australia, mainland Europe and UAE and its impressive growth helped it win an eight-figure investment from London based specialist healthcare investors, Apposite Capital in 2021.
That war chest is now being used to spearhead the firm’s ambitious growth across Europe – and to fund research for further skin treatments which are likely to widen its appeal to dermal and aesthetic clinics.
Initial research has shown positive signs that Emblation’s microwave technology could be effective in treating actinic keratosis – a pre-cancerous skin lesion caused by over-exposure to the sun. Dermatologists are also keen to see research into possible effectiveness for treating seborrheic keratosis, a benign, waxy brown and black growth common on aged skin.
Gary Beale, co-founder of Emblation said: “We have dramatically changed the landscape for podiatrists and for verrucae patients since launching in 2016. With our first venture into dermal and aesthetic clinics we hope to deliver similar, seismic improvement for patients with a range of skin lesions over the coming years.
“We know that once podiatrists, dermatologists, and other clinicians start using Swift it will rapidly become an invaluable and profitable part of their business.”
Emblation was founded by Gary Beale and Eamon McErlean, who met during post-graduate studies at University in Edinburgh. The pair went on to launch Swift as a radical new treatment in the podiatry sector.
Based in Central Scotland, the health tech firm has plans for an imminent move into a purpose-built new HQ in Stirling as a result of its continued expansion.
