Aldara Cream

Aldara cream is used to treat genital warts. It can be used on infected areas on the surface of the genitals as well as the anus.

Aldara is for external use only and works best if you have small, soft warts which have not spread over a large area yet. The cream can also be prescribed for other conditions, such as superficial basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis.

Aldara contains the active ingredient imiquimod, an immuno-modulator. It works by stimulating the human immune system and encourages it to fight the virus that causes genital warts. Your immune system is then able to identify the HPV (human papilloma virus) and attack the infected cells. How exactly imiquimod achieves this, is not yet known.

Aldara is suitable only for patients with an early infection. If your warts affect a large area or are big and hard you should seek medical help from a GP or dermatologist. You may need to use Aldara for up to 16 weeks for the genital warts to clear completely. But, in most patients they clear within 4 weeks.

If your infection has already progressed, Aldara may not be effective. In this case you'll need to consider alternative treatments such as surgical removal. In order to benefit from Aldara, you need to use it as regularly as advised and carefully follow the instructions in your patient leaflet.

It’s important to understand that while Aldara is highly effective in a large number of users, there’s always a possibility of your genital warts returning after a successful course of treatment.

Genital warts are caused by a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The treatment clears up visible warts, but does not get rid of the virus itself. This means that the virus can cause another outbreak of warts. You may want to check yourself for warts from time to time to spot a recurring infection early on.

Aldara may cause sores and irritation of the skin in some patients. You should not use Aldara on sore skin but rather wait until your skin has healed before you apply the cream again. Please note that you must not use Aldara inside the vagina, urethra, or anus as it’s only suitable for external application. If you have warts on the inside of your sexual organs, you’ll require a different treatment.

For men who have noticed genital warts under their foreskin it is important to pull back their foreskin and wash the area carefully on a daily basis. Failing to do so may result in swelling and discomfort. If you encounter any tightness and swelling, please consult your doctor immediately.

If you decide to have sex, you’ll need to take precautions in order not to infect your partner. You’ll need to use a condom, but please still be aware that even a condom does not guarantee that you won't pass the virus on. If you use a condom, it’s vital that you apply Aldara after intercourse, as it can weaken condoms and contraceptive diaphragms.

Aldara works by stimulating your body’s immune response to the human papillomavirus. This means that it can be less effective in patients with HIV. If this applies to you, please talk to your GP before beginning treatment to see if another treatment would be better for you.

Whether using Aldara during pregnancy can harm your baby is unknown. Studies in animals suggest that Aldara does not put your baby at any risk but you should discuss any treatment during pregnancy with a GP or you gynecologist. ZAVA does not provide prescriptions for pregnant women. You must not use Aldara or any other medicine containing imiquimod while breastfeeding, as it is currently unknown whether the active ingredient will be passed into the mother’s milk.

You will need to apply Aldara three times every week, for example Mon, Wed and Fri. Your pack of Aldara contains several sachets, one for every application. The cream should be applied in the evening, before going to bed, and washed off in the morning. Always wash your hands before and after applying the cream and take care not to rub your eyes or touch your face after coming in contact with the cream. Before applying Aldara, please make sure the application area is clean and dry.

1. Open one sachet and squeeze some cream on one of your fingertips.
2. Apply a thin layer onto the area infected with warts and gently rub it in
3. Dispose of the empty sachet and wash your hands with soap
4. Leave the cream on for 6 to 10 hours
5. Wash it off in the morning, using a mild soap and water

Aldara cream contains the active ingredient imiquimod in a 5% concentration. 100mg of Aldara thus contains 5mg imiquimod. Further ingredients include benzyl alcohol, white soft paraffin, sorbitan stearate, isostearic acid, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, propyl hydroxybenzoate (E216), xanthan gum, purified water, glycerol, and methyl hydroxybenzoate (E218). Aldara cream is slightly yellow and comes in 250mg polyester and aluminium foil sachets.

• Redness
• Peeling of the skin
• Flakiness or swelling
• Hardening underneath the skin
• Open sores and blisters
• Burning and stinging sensation

• Headache and fever
• Muscle pain
• Pain during intercourse (in females)
• Difficulty getting an erection (in men)
• Nausea and sweating
• Diarrhoea
• Migraine
• Tiredness and dizziness
• Prolapse of the womb
• Muscle and joint pains
• Fungal infections (thrush)
• Ringing in the ears
• Cold and flu symptoms like cough and sore throat

• Severe skin reaction
• If you get painful skin reactions, this may make it difficult to urinate (pee). Please talk to a doctor straight away if this happens

Do not use more cream than recommended to avoid serious skin reactions.

Please do not hesitate to contact a doctor if you’re suffering severe side effects or have any questions about Aldara and how to use it correctly.