Aldara is the brand name for imiquimod, which is an immunomodulator type of drug. It is available as a 5% cream and used to treat a variety of skin conditions including venereal warts. For some unknown reason, it only works on genital warts and not the common warts.
For venereal warts, the area should first be cleaned and dried. The surrounding skin should be protected by some Vaseline or moisturizing cream. Aldara cream can be applied on the wart with a Q-tip. The cream is best applied at night and allowed to remain for 6-10 hours. In the morning, the area should be thoroughly rinsed. Almost all individual do develop some type of skin reaction that varies from moderate to severe.
The skin may show an intense redness, weeping or peeling after the first few applications. In some individuals, aldara may also cause general fatigue, fever, nausea and muscle pain. For those who develop serious skin flare ups, use of aldara should be discounted.
After application of aldara cream, one should avoid the sun because of the increased sunburn sensitivity. Suntan should be avoided until the skin has completely healed and aldara has been discontinued.
The cream is usually applied 3 times a week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and most individuals begin to see a clearing of the warts in 8-12 weeks.
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