Improve Skin Health

Imiquimod & Wart Treatment

Warts are benign tumors that occur in the genital and perianal area. Depending on the anogenital warts localization, patients are referred to consultations with appropriate specialists, such as:

  • Gynecologist (diagnosis of the cervix, vulva and vagina in women)
  • Urologist (diagnosis of intraurethral areas in men)
  • Proctologist (diagnosis of anal area in women and men).

After the examination of the condition, patient with warts may be prescribed Imiquimod medication, which removes anogenital infection and strengthens the body's immune response.

Imiquimod is produced in the form of a cream, which is packed in disposable sachets, 250 mg each. According to the US ambulatory care data, Imiquimod has become the most commonly used drug for the treatment of warts in the last decade.

When treating anogenital infection in the form of warts, it is recommended to use Imiquimod cream as follows:

  • no more than 3 treatments a week - once every two days;
  • apply the cream at night, before bedtime;
  • leave the drug on the skin surface for at least 6-10 hours;
  • then wash the treated skin area with soap and warm water;
  • the period of the cream use should not exceed 4 months.

In those days when patient applies Imiquimod cream on warts, sexual abstinence is recommended. In the rest of the time, when you do not use Imiquimod, you can have sexual contacts, provided that it:

  • does not cause pain
  • does not directly affect the wart,
  • implies the use of contraceptives.

Imiquimod can cause side effects that are similar to the flu symptoms, including nausea, fatigue, and fever.

The use of the drug Imiquimod for the treatment of warts is recommended for persons not younger than 13 years of age.

Treatment of anogenital infection in women in pregnancy occurs at the period that does not exceed 36 weeks using such methods, as:

  • electrocoagulation;
  • cryodestruction.

The involvement of a vast ​skin area with a giant condyloma lesion may require surgical intervention.

Imiquimod is prescribed for patients, in whom the cause of warts occurrence is the body infection with papillomavirus (HPV), and the infection provokes discomfort and painful sensations.

When diagnosing anogenital warts, all clinical manifestations are taken into account, and various laboratory investigations are carried out, which include:

  • smear test,
  • anoscopy and colposcopy,
  • serological tests,
  • biopsy of the affected skin,

Imiquimod can be used to treat several kinds of warts, including the following:

  • Bowenoid papulosis,
  • warts in the form of papules,
  • lesions in the form of spots,
  • intraepithelial neoplasia,
  • giant condyloma acuminatum Buschke-Loewenstein.

It is sometimes difficult to determine for sure the lesion severity. This is due to the extended latent development of warts, which cause skin damage long after the moment of infection.

Warts caused by papilloma virus may occur in the human body in a variety of places, such as:

  • internal genital organs,
  • different skin areas,
  • mucous membrane of the external genitalia.

Imiquimod can be applied to all areas of the skin, on which warts occur due to the viral infections (BPV).

Using Imiquimod for the treatment of warts helps to alleviate the symptoms that manifest because of this disease. Within a few days after the beginning of use, Imiquimod can significantly reduce the severity of:

  • Itching, pain and discomfort in the area of viral infection lesion;
  • Painful sensations during sexual intercourse;
  • Burning when urinating;
  • Cracks and bleeding on the skin and mucous membranes.

To prevent the transmission of viral infection, men and women who have warts should avoid unprotected sex.