Aldara

Aldara Cream contains the active ingredient imiquimod. It is an immune response modifier, which helps the body’s immune system to increase its activities. Aldara is used to treat three different conditions:

• Genital warts (condylomata acuminata) that commonly appear on the surface of men’s and women’s genitals, and around the anus.
• A slow-growing form of skin cancer called superficial basal cell carcinoma, which is common among the middle-aged and elderly.
• Actinic keratoses are rough skin areas, which are sometimes the same skin colour or may appear greyish, pink, red, or brown. It is common among people who have a lot of sun exposure in their lifetime. 

When applied to genital warts, the active ingredient of Aldara locally acts on the immune system to prompt the release of cytokines. Cytokines are a group of small proteins that regulate immunity, inflammation, and hematopoiesis. 

During this process, imiquimod fights the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has caused genital warts.

Benefits of using Aldara

A certain strain of HPV is responsible for genital warts; it is transmitted through sexual interactions. When you get infected with genital warts, it can bring pain, discomfort, and itching. You can also spread it to other people, your sexual partners when left untreated. 

When you use Aldara, you can find relief from its uncomfortable symptoms and prevent the virus from multiplying and spreading to other people. You can continue to live your life comfortably and restore your overall health.

You should use this cream exactly as instructed by your doctor to avoid any medical complications and experience its maximum benefits. You should also read the enclosed patient information leaflet to familiarise the proper administration process.

Doctors will usually recommend using this product three (3) times a week, usually on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at night time or before bed. Before you apply the cream, make sure to wash your hands and the affected area with mild soap and water. Dry the affected area thoroughly. The pack does not contain an applicator, but each sachet is equal to one dose. Open a new sachet and put the cream on your fingertip, then apply it evenly on the clean and dry wart-affected area. 

You should leave the cream for about six (6) to ten (10) hours; do not wash the area during this time. After this time, you can repeat the cleaning process in the affected area. Also, do not cover the affected area with bandages or other dressings after application.

Do not forget to wash your hands before and after application to avoid putting it in sensitive areas in your body. You should also throw away the opened sachet after the application. 

Each Aldara sachet contains 250 mg cream, which contains 5mg of imiquimod at every 100mg of the cream. The content of each sachet can cover approximately 20 cm2 or 3 square inches of wart area.

As mentioned, your doctor will most likely recommend that you apply the cream three (3) times per week. You should continue using the cream as prescribed until your warts are completely gone. Most genital warts in women will disappear after eight (8) weeks and men in about 12 weeks; however, some genital warts will clear within four (4) weeks of using Aldara cream. You should not use this medication for more than 16 weeks. 

If you forget to apply Aldara, do so as soon as you remember, but you should not apply it more than once in one day. If you apply more than you should or in an unaffected area, you should wash it immediately with soap and water. If there is accidental ingestion of the cream, contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical help.