Aldara (Imiquimod)

Description

Aldara is a topical imiquimod cream used to treat certain skin conditions caused by excessive exposure to the sun.

Drug Information

Aldara is a skin cream belonging to class of drugs called imiquimods. Imiquimods are known as immune response modifiers. They can treat certain types of growth on the skin caused by too much sun exposure that may indicate an elevated risk for skin cancer.

The skin conditions Aldara treats are known as actinic keratoses, which are scaly and flat growths on the face and scalp resulting from exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun. Aldara is also used to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma, a minor form of skin cancer for which surgery may not be suitable. Aldara is also sometimes used to treat genital or anal warts. Aldara can help reduce the appearance of warts, but will not cure them.

The imiquimod drugs in Aldara work by stimulating the immune system to attack the skin growths. Aldara is suitable for patients 12 years or older. The skin cream is not recommended for use in children under 12 years.

Application

A doctor will prescribe how and when to use Aldara cream properly without causing further harm. When applying the cream, follow the doctor’s instructions exactly as prescribed. Detailed information regarding applying Aldara is available in the patient information leaflet provided with the package.

Aldara is usually prescribed to be applied 2 to 3 times per week over the course of 16 weeks. Using Aldara for longer than prescribed, or applying more per day than instructed, can lead to severe adverse reactions.

When using Aldara, patients should meet doctors regularly for skin checkups. A doctor will be able to identify a severe skin reaction right away.

Do not use Aldara for skin conditions not diagnosed by a doctor. Use only a single tube of Aldara for the condition and discard it once the treatment is complete. Do not share Aldara with others, even if they have the same medical condition.

Side Effects

Aldara may cause the following adverse reactions in some patient:

 Mild skin irritation
 Itching
 Dry skin
 Flaking, scabbing or crusting of skin
 Skin redness or other color changes
 Hardening of skin where the cream is applied
 Headache
 Dizziness
 Chest pain
 Back pain
 Flu-like symptoms
 Nausea
 Diarrhea
 Loss of appetite
 Vaginal itching or discharge when used for genital warts

Seek medical help if side effects do not go away after a week.

Precautions

 Do not use if known to be allergic to any of the ingredients in the cream.

 Aldara cream may worsen skin inflammation.

 When using, do not get Aldara cream into eyes, nostrils, lips or vagina. If the cream accidently to gets into one of these areas, immediately rinse with clean, lukewarm water.

 It’s not recommended to apply Aldara onto broken skin. Wait until wounds or other injuries have healed to use Aldara.

 Do not cover the areas with dressing after applying Aldara.

 Aldara may not be safe to use for patients with autoimmune diseases or have had bone marrow or organ transplants.