Topical cream that treats genital warts.

Aldara cream is a widely known topical medication. It’s used to treat genital warts, actinic keratosis, and precancerous growth caused by overexposure to the sun’s rays.
You can talk to us to order Aldara online and also get tailored treatment recommendations from our expert clinicians.
Aldara is a prescription-only cream containing 5% imiquimod as its active ingredient. It’s normally used for the treatment and removal of the visible symptoms of external genital warts. Other uses include the removal of precancerous growth on the skin.
Aldara is effective at treating genital warts, but it's important to follow the instructions and use it correctly. You'll need to make sure you don't get any on the skin around the warts or on healthy areas of the skin because it can cause irritation.
The active ingredient in Aldara is called Imiquimod. It’s been in use since 1997 as an effective treatment for genital warts. Studies show that Imiquimod stimulates your immune responses. This ultimately helps your body's immune cells to track diseased cells; which in this case, are the cells linked to genital warts. Once the affected cells are dead, new cells grow in their place to clear the skin.
Aldara is easy to use as it’s not a medication you have to swallow. Because it’s a topical cream, you only need to apply it to the external part of the body where warts or precancerous growths are visible.
It’s a single dose treatment that equates to a one-week course. You have to apply the cream three times a week. So usually every other day, for example, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The cream sachet contains a sufficient amount to cover the wart-infected area, to as wide as twenty centimetres squared.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
If you’re using Aldara for the treatment of genital warts, here’s how to apply it effectively.
The effectiveness of Aldara can vary, depending on the severity of your genital warts. You might have to repeat the one-week course treatment for multiple weeks if your warts don’t disappear within the first week of use. For many women, genital warts clear faster and will do so in eight weeks.
But men might have to wait for 12 weeks before the warts clear. Warts can clear up for some people in as little as four weeks too, though. You shouldn’t use Aldara continuously for over 16 weeks.
If you notice the treatment isn't showing visible results after a few weeks, it's best to contact our clinician. Aldara can be a bit strong in concentration for some people. If you find that this is the case, you should sign in to your account and send our clinician a message.
Some common mistakes that people make with Aldara cream include: excess application; forgetting to take a dose; ingesting the cream; or applying it to the wrong part of the body. If you experience any of these, the following instructions will help.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Have something specific you want to know? Search our info below, or ask our experts a question if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
Imiquimod: mode of action. British Journal of Dermatology, 157, pp.8–13.
Topical Imiquimod. Drugs, 58(2), pp.375–390.
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