Aldara cream
- Genuine UK medicine
- Click and collect in as little as 24 hours
- From a high street name you can trust
What is Aldara cream?
Aldara cream, containing the active ingredient imiquimod, is a topical medicine used to treat external genital warts. It works by stimulating the body's immune response to help fight the virus causing the warts. You apply it directly to the warts several times a week.
What is Aldara cream used for?
Aldara cream is used to treat genital warts. Genital warts are the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a viral infection. They’re caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be caught through any form of sexual contact.
Although some strains of HPV can be linked to cancer, the most common strains associated with genital warts are considered ‘low risk’ strains of HPV (HPV 6 and HPV 11). It’s extremely rare for genital warts to become cancerous.
Genital warts typically appear as small, raised growths in the genital area and surrounding skin. They can vary in size and may occur individually or in clusters. Aldara cream can be used to treat both small, soft warts or small warts that have become keratinised (harder to the touch). For areas of warts larger than a 4cm square, Aldara cream may not be a suitable treatment and you should see your GP or local sexual health clinic.
How does Aldara cream work?
Aldara cream contains imiquimod, which triggers the body’s own immune system to fight the virus that causes genital warts.
Note: Aldara cream is used to treat visible genital warts. However, even if treatment is successful, warts can reoccur, especially within the first few months after treatment. This is because HPV remains in the body.
How to use Aldara cream
Before going to bed, wash your hands and the treatment area with mild soap and water. Dry thoroughly. Open a new sachet and squeeze some cream onto your fingertip. Apply a thin layer of Aldara cream on the clean, dry wart area and rub gently into the skin until cream vanishes.
After applying the cream, throw away the opened sachet and wash hands with soap and water. Leave Aldara cream on the warts for 6-10 hours. Do not shower or bathe during this time. After 6-10 hours wash the area where Aldara cream was applied with mild soap and water. Apply Aldara cream three times per week on alternating days. For example, apply the cream on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
You shouldn’t have sex just after you’ve used wart creams or lotions. They will transfer to your partner and can also damage latex condoms and diaphragms.
Aldara cream dosage
Aldara cream comes in individual sachets, each containing 250mg of cream. The cream is applied three times per week and you should use a fresh sachet of cream for each application. There should be enough cream in each sachet for a single treatment. If you find you have leftover cream after treatment, discard the sachet with the extra cream and open a new sachet every time you treat your warts.
Is Aldara cream effective?
Aldara cream has shown to be effective in treating external genital warts. However, individual responses to the medicine may vary. You may experience improvement within a few weeks of starting treatment, or it may require longer treatment. Most people will see improvement of their warts following 4-8 weeks of Aldara treatment but it can take up to 16 weeks. It’s important to be patient and follow the prescribed treatment plan.
If you have concerns or questions about the progress of your treatment, get in touch with us via your online patient record or talk to your regular healthcare provider.
What are the main side effects of Aldara cream?
Side effects of Aldara Cream can include pain, itchiness, redness and ulceration where you’ve applied it, and fatigue or mild flu like symptoms. Please read the Patient Information Leaflet for full details on possible side effects. If you’re concerned about your side effects, please contact us through your online patient record or seek urgent advice from your GP or regular healthcare provider.
What else should I know about Aldara cream?
You should not use Aldara if:
- You are allergic to imiquimod or any of the other ingredients listed in the Patient Information Leaflet.
- You’re breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you should discuss whether you can use Aldara cream safely with your doctor or healthcare provider.
- Your warts are located inside the vagina or anus, are large, or cover an area larger than a 2 pence piece. For larger or more difficult to reach warts, your doctor or sexual health clinic can advise on other ways they can be removed such as freezing, laser removal or through surgery.
Because genital warts are highly contagious, it’s not recommended that you have sex while using Aldara. If you do have sex, you can protect yourself and your partner from STIs by using a condom. This will help to reduce (but not eliminate) the risk of spreading genital warts between you and your partner.
Genital warts often occur alongside other STIs. If you’ve been diagnosed with genital warts you should try to have a full STI screening to check for any other possible sexually transmitted infections.
What are alternative genital warts treatments?
If you decide that Aldara isn’t right for you, there are alternative treatments available for reducing and clearing genital warts such as Warticon cream or Warticon solution. You can make an appointment at a sexual health clinic or speak with your doctor about possible alternative treatments. Alternatively, you can also take a look at our
What are the non-drug alternatives to Aldara cream?
Genital warts will eventually go away on their own as your body learns to fight the virus that causes them. However, this can take up to 6 months and the warts may increase in size or spread as your body tries to fight off the infection. You’re also more likely to pass on the infection to your partner during this time.
Treatments such as Aldara reduce the amount of time it takes to clear the warts. Even if the warts have been successfully treated, it’s common for genital warts to come back, especially within the first three months. This is because the virus that causes the warts can remain in the body and may cause an outbreak if your immune system is weakened.
Note that the warts are more likely to come back if you smoke as smoking weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight the virus that causes genital warts.
If you’re suffering from large clusters of hard warts, another treatment might be better suited to you such as laser removal, freezing or surgery.
Does Aldara clear HPV?
Aldara cream is not a cure for HPV infection. It’s specifically intended for the treatment of external genital warts caused by certain strains of HPV. While the cream can help clear visible warts and reduce symptoms, it does not eliminate the underlying HPV infection. HPV can persist in the body even after the warts have resolved. It’s important to discuss HPV management and prevention strategies with your healthcare provider.
How do you catch genital warts?
Genital warts are primarily transmitted through sexual contact. This includes vaginal, anal, or oral sex, as well as genital-to-genital contact. It’s important to note that genital warts can be transmitted even if there are no visible warts present, as the virus can be present on the skin without any noticeable symptoms. Using barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, can help reduce the risk of transmission but does not eliminate it entirely.
Can you get rid of genital warts?
Yes, it’s possible to get rid of genital warts with appropriate treatment. While the body's immune system can sometimes clear the infection on its own, treatment is often recommended to remove visible warts, reduce symptoms and minimise the risk of transmission. There are various treatment options available, including topical medicines like Aldara cream.
Getting tested for STIs
If you have genital warts, you should also get tested for a range of STIs as they commonly occur together. You can test yourself at home using our easy STI test kits. You should also get in touch with any sexual partners you’ve had over the last six months so they can decide whether they need to be tested for other STIs as well.
What are genital warts?
Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection caused by a virus (certain strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV). The warts are found around the genital area. They’re usually skin-coloured or whitish lumps and can look like tiny cauliflowers. They can be hard or soft and occur either on their own or in groups. They might be itchy but they don’t usually cause pain or discomfort.
Where can I buy Imiquimod 5% Cream (Aldara)?
Aldara 5% cream is a prescription medicine and isn’t available over the counter. It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis, prescription, and guidance on the use of Aldara cream for the treatment of genital warts. You can visit your regular GP or healthcare provider or get advice and a prescription online with us at Boots Online Doctor.
Aldara vs Betnovate cream
Aldara cream and Betnovate cream are intended for different purposes and cannot be used interchangeably. Aldara cream contains imiquimod and is primarily used for the treatment of external genital warts. It works by stimulating the body's immune response to fight the infection. Betnovate cream contains the active ingredient betamethasone and is a corticosteroid cream used to reduce inflammation and itching associated with various skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. Betnovate cream should not be used to treat genital warts. Make sure you speak with a healthcare professional before using either of these creams to ensure you have the appropriate treatment for you and your health condition.
