(i MI kwi mod TOP ik al) Brand: Aldara, Zyclara, Zyclara Pump
• Using too many of this medication, or using it for too long can magnify your risk of severe skin reactions. Follow your doctor's instructions.
• Do not use imiquimod topical on areas of broken, wounded, or burned skin. Wait before these conditions have healed till using imiquimod topical.
• Till using this medicine, speak your doctor if you have a weak immune system, an autoimmune mess, graft-versus-host malady, or if you have recently received a bone marrow transplant or cord blood transplant.
• When treating genital warts near the vagina, avoid getting the cream on the more sensitive inner layers of vaginal tissue. This could result in vaginal swelling or irritation and painful urination.
• Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Imiquimod topical can create you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.
• Imiquimod topical is not a cure for genital warts and it may not hold you from spreading this condition to others through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. You may develop new lesions during treatment with imiquimod topical. For excellent results, hold using the medication for the entire length of time predesigned by your doctor.
• Imiquimod will not protect against sexually transmitted illness such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, syphilis, and trichomoniasis.
• If you are treating the genital or rectal area with imiquimod topical, avoid sexual activity while the medication is on your skin. Imiquimod topical can weaken the rubber that condoms or diaphragms are made out of. If you use a condom or diaphragm for birth control, these items could interrupt if the rubber weakens and an unplanned pregnancy could result.
• Imiquimod is an immune response modifier. Imiquimod topical is used to treat actinic keratosis (a condition caused by too many sun exposure) on the person and scalp.
• Imiquimod topical (for the skin) is also used to treat a minor form of skin cancer called superficial basal cell carcinoma, when surgery would not be an appropriate treatment.
• Imiquimod topical also treats genital warts that appear on the external of the body, but this medication is not a cure for genital warts. Imiquimod may be used in adults and children who are at least 12 years.
• Imiquimod topical may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
• To create certain you can safely take imiquimod topical, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:
· sunburn or another skin problems;
· a weak immune system or autoimmune disorder;
· graft-versus-host malady;
· if you have recently been treated for actinic keratosis or genital warts with surgery or another medications; or
· if you have recently received a bone marrow transplant or cord blood transplant.
• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether imiquimod topical will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
• If you are treating the genital or rectal area with imiquimod topical, avoid sexual activity while the medication is on your skin. Imiquimod topical can weaken the rubber that condoms or diaphragms are made out of. If you use a condom or diaphragm, these items could interrupt if the rubber weakens, and an unplanned pregnancy could result.
• It is not known whether imiquimod topical passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• Do not use this medication on a baby younger than 12 years old. Imiquimod topical is for use in treating genital warts in patients who are at least 12 years old. All another uses of this medicine are for adults over 18 only.
• Use exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not use in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
• Using too many of this medication, or using it for too long can magnify your risk of severe skin reactions.
• Till applying imiquimod topical, wash your hands and wash the skin area to be treated. Let the skin to dry for at least 10 minutes till applying the medication. Always wash your hands after applying the medication also.
• Do not use imiquimod topical on areas of broken, wounded, or burned skin. Wait before these conditions have healed till using imiquimod topical.
• Imiquimod topical is normally used 2 to 5 times for week for up to 16 weeks. How you use this medicine will depend on the condition you are treating. Follow your doctor's instructions.
• Actinic keratosis:
• Aldara is generally applied 2 times for week (such as Monday and Thursday, or Tuesday and Friday) for a full 16 weeks. Zyclara is applied once daily for 2 weeks followed by 2 weeks without treatment. Apply the cream to the treatment area in a thin layer, and rub in the cream before it disappears. Use the medication till going to bed and leave it on for 8 hours. In the morning, wash off the medication with water and a mild soap.
• Superficial basal cell carcinoma:
• Generally applied 5 times for week (such as Monday through Friday) for a full 6 weeks. Apply the cream from one imiquimod topical packet to the treatment area and the border of skin near it, and rub in the cream before it disappears. Use the medication till going to bed and leave it on for 8 hours. In the morning, wash off the medication with water and a mild soap.
• Genital warts:
• Generally applied 3 times for week (such as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for no longer than 16 weeks. Apply the cream from one imiquimod topical packet to the treatment area, and rub in the cream before it disappears. Do not cover the treated skin areas with any type of plastic bandaging, and avoid nylon underwear. You may wear cotton gauze or underwear over the treated area. Use the medication till going to bed and leave it on for 6 to 10 hours. Then wash off the medication with water and a mild soap.
• When treating genital warts under the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis, pull back the foreskin and wash it with mild soap and water till applying imiquimod topical. Clean this area daily during treatment.
• When treating genital warts near the vagina, avoid getting the cream on the more sensitive inner layers of vaginal tissue. This could result in vaginal swelling or irritation and painful urination.
• Imiquimod topical is not a cure for genital warts and it may not hold you from spreading this condition to others through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. You may develop new lesions during treatment with imiquimod topical. For excellent results, hold using the medication for the entire length of time predesigned by your doctor.
• All conditions:
• Your doctor will need to check your skin on a regular basis, especially if you have a more severe skin reaction to the medicine. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.
• Call your doctor if your skin condition does not improve or if it gets worse during treatment.
• Do not use imiquimod topical to treat any skin condition that has not been checked by a doctor. Do not share this medicine with anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms you have.
• Every packet of imiquimod topical is for a single application only. Throw away the packet after one use, even if there is medication left in it. If you treat more than one skin area at a time, ask your doctor how much packets to use.
• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not freeze. Hold every packet unopened before you are ready to use it.
• Skip the missed doze and wait before the following time you are getting ready for bed to use the medication. Do not use extra medication to create up the missed dose.
• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
• Overdose symptoms may include severe skin irritation, feeling light-headed, or fainting.
• Avoid getting this medicine in your eyes, mouth, and nose, or on your lips. Do not seat the cream in your rectum, vagina, or urethra. If it does get into any of these areas, rinse with water. Do not use imiquimod topical on sunburned, windburned, dry, chapped, irritated, or broken skin.
• Avoid using another medications on the areas you treat with imiquimod topical unless your doctor tells you to.
• Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Imiquimod topical can create you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.
• Avoid having unprotected sex. Imiquimod is not a cure for genital warts, and it will not protect against sexually transmitted illness such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Conversation with your doctor about safety ways to prevent transmission during sex.
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Wash off the medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious skin reaction such as severe itching, burning, oozing, bleeding, or skin changes where the medication is applied.
• Stop using imiquimod topical and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as flu symptoms such as fever, chills, body aches, weary feeling, swollen glands.
• When treating genital warts near the vagina, if you have severe swelling or urination problems, stop using imiquimod topical and call your doctor right away.
• Smaller serious side effects may include:
· mild skin irritation, itching, dryness, flaking, scabbing, crusting, redness, or hardening of the skin where the medication was applied;
· changes in the color of treated skin;
· headache, dizziness, chest pain, back pain;
· cool sores, fever blisters;
· cool symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat;
· nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite; or
· vaginal itching or discharge.
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
• It is not likely that another drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on topically applied imiquimod topical. But much drugs can interact with every another. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.
• Your pharmacist can provide more information about imiquimod topical.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
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