Aldara Cream

Aldara

• For treatment of genital or anal warts: You will usually apply this cream every other day (3 times a week) until the warts are gone, for a maximum of 16 weeks. Do not use the cream inside the vagina or rectum. Avoid getting Aldara cream in your eyes. Uncircumcised men treating warts under the foreskin of the penis should pull back the foreskin and clean the area daily. Women should take special care if applying the cram at the opening of the vagina because local skin reactions on the delicate moist surfaces can cause pain and swelling, and may cause problems passing urine. Do not bandage or wrap the treated area. The treated area should be washed with mild soap and water 6—10 hours after applying the cream (usually upon waking).
  
  Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. This drug has been used in adolescents for the treatment of genital or anal warts.
  
  
• For the treatment of actinic keratosis: You will apply the cream to the affected area twice weekly, 3—4 days apart, for 16 weeks. Leave on skin for about 8 hours, after which time the cream should be washed off using mild soap and water usually upon waking. The area you treat with Aldara cream should be no larger than the size of your forehead or one cheek (for example, 2 inches by 2 inches).
  
  Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

• During the treatment of genital or anal warts:
  Visit your health care professional for regular checks on your progress. Females should receive regular pelvic exams as recommended by their prescribers.
  
  You will notice improvement in your condition gradually. Most patients experience improvement within 4 weeks. However, it may take up to 16 weeks to see a full clearing of the warts. Aldara cream is not a cure. New warts may develop during or after treatment.
  
  Sexual (genital, anal, oral) contact should be avoided while the cream is on the skin.
  
  Aldara cream will not cure genital or anal warts. It is also not known if Aldara cream can stop you from spreading genital or anal warts to other people. The only way to prevent infecting others with the HPV virus (the virus that causes genital warts) is to avoid direct skin-to-skin contact. If warts are visible in the genital area, sexual contact should be avoided until the warts are treated. Experts advise that using latex condoms during sexual contact may reduce, but not entirely prevent, infecting others.
  
  Do not rely on condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps or other 'barrier' devices as your sole method of birth control. Aldara cream may weaken these devices and make them less effective at birth control.
  
  Do not cover the treated area with an airtight bandage. Cotton gauze dressings can be used. Cotton underwear can be worn after applying Aldara cream to the genital or anal area.
  
  
• During the treatment of actinic keratosis:
  Visit your health care provider for regular checks on your progress. Actinic keratoses that were not seen before may appear during treatment may appear during treatment and may later go away.
  
  It is common for patients to have skin reactions in areas treated. These reactions may extend beyond the application site onto the surrounding skin. Skin reactions generally decrease in intensity or resolve after stopping imiquimod therapy. If you experience a severe reaction or any sign or symptom at the treatment site that interferes or prevents you from doing any daily activity, contact your health care provider to discuss whether you require a rest period from treatment. Treatment may resume once the reaction has improved as recommended by your prescriber.
  
  Use of sunscreen during treatment is encouraged and patients should minimize or avoid exposure to natural or artificial (tanning beds or UVA/B treatments) while using Aldara cream.
  
  Do not cover the treated area with an airtight bandage. Cotton gauze dressings can be used.