Imiquimod topical for Basal Cell Carcinoma User Reviews

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2020

Aldara (imiquimod) "Just finished week 6 of Aldara for BCC... now waiting for the scabs and redness to go away. 6 weeks was a long treatment, but well worth it instead of MOHS surgery. You MUST wash hands before and after applying, and you MUST wash the application areas after 8 hours. I applied the cream on the tip of my nose, but the entire nose reacted! I applied the cream Monday to Friday and took Saturday and Sunday off. Weeks 3 and 4 were the worst... lots of oozing and dark scabs. You can use makeup... start with a color corrector, then a concealer and/or foundation. I'm now waiting for the scabs and redness to go away. There are no instructions on what to do after the 6 weeks, so I'm still washing the area and putting moisturizer on it twice a day."

• Anonymous
• December 12, 2019

Aldara (imiquimod) "This is my 5th go-around with Aldara. I've previously treated 3 facial BCCs and 2 pre-cancerous areas. I insist on a biopsy the minute I have even a tiny, non-healing lesion, and I have never been wrong. I notice nothing for about 14 days; then all the big reactions break loose! Painful, weeping, 2-cm sores requiring gauze just to sleep. I look like a leper. This latest treatment came with massive headaches, joint aches, abdominal pain, and flu-like malaise, which began during week three and continues unabated. That said, I have never had a lesion recur; there is no scarring whatsoever, and the healing after stopping the applications is swift— all sores gone within about two weeks. It can take two to four months before the skin thickens completely back to normal, and I am compulsive about sun-screening— especially any pre-treated areas. The treatment isn't fun, and at $400 a pop, it's a bit excessive. But the results for me have been consistently great."

• mya...
• April 15, 2011

Aldara (imiquimod) "When treating for Basal Cell Carcinoma, in my case, the arm, HEED THE WARNING to not use on sore or broken skin, which should include recently biopsied lesions to avoid any confusion. Wait until the excision site has healed. I did not receive this instruction and began using it that night. The pain was beyond description, reached deep into the muscle tissue, and lasted for hours. Follow-up phone calls, of course, confirmed the oversight."

• Bob...
• February 19, 2013

Aldara (imiquimod) "Used it for 3 weeks. 5 days on, 2 off, and so on. 1st week comes out like pimples, second they break, third they dry. Hurts, sure, but not impossible. Works perfectly. Fever, drowsiness, headaches, but it's worth it. I have used it for the last 5 years once a year for face skin problems."

• Sam...
• May 22, 2020

Aldara (imiquimod) "After being perfectly healthy my entire life, used Aldara cream for 10 days on BC on chest. I thought it would be least invasive. After developing a large 'croissant' size growth of black on my chest, worsening fatigue, migraine, severe diarrhea, low-grade fevers, a red rash over arms and legs, a large tennis ball size red swollen growth on my shoulder, and dizziness, I was admitted to the hospital. At this point, I was told later, near death. I spent 3 days in isolation, seen by an infectious disease specialist, internal medicine, gastroenterologist. Dx: recurrent C-diff bowel infection-Colitis, MRSA infection, severe anemia. Received 2 blood transfusions, iron, upper scope of GI tract, MRI of brain, chest X-ray, multiple blood workups. Anemic blood level of 7 (normal blood level is 14). Weight loss of 20 pounds. This drug was SYSTEMIC in my body and nearly ended my life. Do NOT take the medication. My new dermatologist stated he will never prescribe it again after my experience."

• LAD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2018

"I’ve used this multiple times, all on the face. While the treatment is not pretty or painless, the results are wonderful. With surgery, I would have had to undergo plastic surgery to rebuild the cheek area. This treatment was well worth the pain and discomfort. My skin is healthy and no surgeries are required. Be prepared to be stared at, and don’t plan any important business or social events during treatment. It truly is ugly. But again, 6 weeks of discomfort for an exceptional result is worth it to me. My skin was covered in large oozing scabs that didn’t feel good. Washing was miserable. But you can get through anything for 6 weeks for such great results. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Pain and discomfort, headache—better than surgery any day."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2017

"I am not going to sugarcoat this for you. It is a painfully itchy, sleepless process. Not for the faint-hearted. Put on your big girl panties and take it like a woman because it doesn't get better until the 6th week when you're all done. And if you have the guts to start all over and treat other areas, then you are Superwoman. It turns your cells into red, blistering, raw-looking meat that is horrible to look at and worse to feel. But getting rid of the cancer cells is all that matters here. So do it, but be prepared to take time off if needed and be prepared to be miserable."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2011

Aldara (imiquimod) "The side effects of this cream were bad. Very painful sinus, swelling of throat and inside mouth, continuous cough on chest, headache (don't usually suffer headaches, dizziness). May be good for some people but not me. (I am 74)."

• old...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 4, 2018

Aldara (imiquimod) "I'm now 82. After 4 surgeries on my face, I was given Aldara. It may make big, red, ugly areas, but with patience, it does the job. You may think you just have a small area that is affected, but wow, it's usually a larger area than you think. That's why I think it's better than doing the MOH's surgery."

• Anonymous
• April 20, 2009

"I had a basal cell carcinoma on my face, right under my left eye. I had surgery to remove it but it came back. The Imiquimod cream did the trick. It never came back and I'm writing this 4 years after the fact."

• Kel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2019

Aldara (imiquimod) "For 18 months, I had a sore on my nose that would bleed, scab, then disappear. Finally, I had it checked (I should have known better, I have a family history of skin cancer). It came back as a BCC. I'm now 5 weeks into my use of Aldara. For the first 3 weeks, I didn't really have any signs of it doing too much. Well, now at week 5, my nose is hard, scab-like, and a lot bigger area than I had thought. I wouldn't say it's sore, just uncomfortable and itchy at times. I guess once completed and healed, time will tell if it completely worked. My doctor gives it an 80% chance, and if not, it's surgery for me. I hope this isn't all for nothing, but I feel it has been worth the chance and do feel that it has done its job well. So far, so good. I'm in AUS, and the cost was $50."

• Vor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2016

"I am using Aldara on 6 sites and would not recommend any more than that. It is about my 4th use of the drug, and apart from slight flu-like symptoms when I first started, I have suffered no general side effects. I am quite active and still feel energetic enough to run, cycle, and play tennis, as well as do DIY! However, the lesions are something else. To give reassurance to anyone using it for the first time, the reaction on the skin can be quite alarming, BUT is perfectly normal and shows it is working. Do read the leaflet. My neck and behind my ears have reacted severely, with heavy scabbing, some weeping, and painful at night. It is a chore applying and washing off, but do persevere. It will all heal within a week of stopping."

• Shi...
• March 13, 2018

Aldara (imiquimod) "I had BCC on my nose. I had been misdiagnosed, and by the time a biopsy was done, the surgeon said he could do Mohs surgery, but it would require removing a thumbnail-sized portion of my nose, using parts of my ear to reconstruct the nose, and also skin grafts. He offered the Aldara option to shrink the tumor. He said that the cream would turn my nose red. I applied the Aldara cream every night for 6 weeks as directed. It was absolutely far more than turning my nose red: fatigue, headaches, a bright red nose that looked as though my nose was one big cold sore. I went into quarantine for six weeks. At times I felt I could not continue. Somehow I did. I wish there were a place to post pictures of my nose during Aldara treatment. I went back for the Mohs surgery. It only took two scrapings to remove cancer. I would choose the Aldara option should I ever be given the choice. It was miserable, but I would still take it over the surgery option."

• Cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2020

Aldara (imiquimod) "Aldara usage for BCC gave me severe side effects, hospitalization, systemic penetration to my body. Nearly died. DO NOT use this drug. I was forever changed at a young age. There are so many better alternatives."

• ros...
• February 4, 2009

"Applying it once a day every day for five days is easier than I at first thought. Luckily, the sites are on my shoulder blade area so I can reach them. Had they been in the middle or lower down, I would not be able to apply the cream. After a few days, the skin turned to sore welts which crusted. It is uncomfortable sleeping sometimes too. Last week (after two full weeks of treatment), I had to miss a day's application because the sores were too painful. I still have many more weeks to continue, and I really want to stop, but I shall persist."

• win...
• December 24, 2014

"Was instructed to use imiquimod only three times a week for basal cell on my nose. Wait until sores appeared and then resolved. Use for three months. There were no negative side effects, and it worked well. I am using cream again on another spot on my face, and I believe the cancer has disappeared. Will see the doctor in two weeks."

• Lis...
• April 13, 2018

Aldara (imiquimod) "I had a small dot on my chest and a penny-sized one on my side. The dermatology consultant told me to use Aldara on the two areas but only once daily for five days, then a two-day break. Leave on for 8 hours, then wash off. She then said she would see me in 4 months. I was a bit surprised she didn't want to see me during treatment but thought the Aldara must be good at doing its job. How wrong could I be? Within one week of using it, the rest of my chest erupted into large red sores with lots of little red spots all over it. I didn't know if this was normal, as nothing much was discussed at the appointment. I continued to use the cream, but every day was more and more horrific. The sores were blistering, bleeding, and oozing fluid, not to mention red raw and itchy. By the end of the second week, I could not tolerate any more, so I stopped using it and tried to contact the dermatology department, which wasn't interested unless I had another referral from my doctor."

• Anonymous
• August 15, 2012

"Using this for basal cell carcinoma treatment. Used it for a couple of small areas initially with little problems. Have been using it on a larger spot now and have developed quite significant flu-like symptoms. Have tried to push through them, but they're getting worse to the point of needing to stop the cream. Extremely fatigued and achy, which is just not me. I work out an hour plus several days a week and am only able to struggle through maybe a half workout. It also caused a lot of redness and sores at the site of use, but I can manage that. The good news is it does seem to work on the basal cells."

• R J...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2018

Aldara (imiquimod) "I had a BCC on my ear, and had it treated with radiotherapy. It came back. I then had it cut out with a skin graft. It came back. I then treated it with Aldara, but for not as long as recommended, and that worked for about 6 months, but it returned about a year ago. The Dr. indicated that the next step was surgery to remove part of my ear. I gave it another good dose for the full recommended term with Aldara, and it's been clear since then. I believe I should have used Aldara from the start, and avoided radiotherapy and an operation, plus a lot of cost. I've had no side effects, and have used it on other BCC with no problems."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2014

"I first used this on my nose and cheek. I had a pretty strong reaction, which caused my eye to swell a little. I checked with the PA and decided to continue the medicine despite the discomfort. Next, I used it on my forehead and chest. I did not have a reaction on the forehead, but had a strong reaction on my chest. By that, I mean there were lots of red bumps which hurt and were itchy. I will stick with it though. It beats having more surgeries to remove the cancer."

• Mot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 1, 2020

Aldara (imiquimod) "I started using the Aldara cream on the 29th of June after being diagnosed with a basal cell carcinoma on my nose. It’s now been 5 weeks of use, and the area is sore, red, crusty, and oozing, which is exactly what should be happening. I still have another week of use, but so far my doctor has been happy with my progress and said that the worse the area of the cancer cells looks after use, the better."

• Rra...
• June 17, 2016

"I'm starting my second week of six weeks for a spot on my chest. I thought it was an allergic reaction after the first night I took it. My entire chest is covered in red, swollen, now crusty welts that are painful. The doctor said those are all cancerous cells he couldn't see with the naked eye, and it's good that it's bringing them out. Honestly, I don't know if I can make it six weeks. The pain is bad, I'm nauseous all day, I have achy muscles, and feel tired. I have a high pain tolerance, so for me to be so bothered is unusual. I know it's working too well. I'll try and stick it out, what's my alternative? I also have to wear shirts that cover up to my neck, it's so bad."

• Cha...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 16, 2017

"I have used this medicine to treat presumed basal cell carcinoma, as well as other areas of skin that appear to be sun-damaged, and am absolutely thrilled with the result. Yes, during treatment, the area of skin being treated can look bad, but it has been worth it. I just finished a treatment on my forehead and left ear, and now have perfect new, smooth skin after the scabs fell off. I usually undergo a 4-week regime with 5 days on and 2 days off. I've experienced weepy treatment areas and sometimes a slight tingling sensation around affected areas, but nothing worse. This drug has truly saved me a lot of money and pain, as I used to have to go through cut and stitch treatments."

• Neo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2020

"I just finished my 2nd 6-week course of imiquimod for BCC on my scalp. I had had 2 Mohs surgeries, and the cancer kept coming back in nearby areas. After seeing multiple doctors, someone suggested imiquimod as an alternative to major surgery or Erivedge. It seems to be working, but it takes time when you finish for the skin to fully heal, and a scan or biopsy will need to be done to determine true results. I did not have any severe adverse effects, as others have mentioned. I used the cream on a 1” x 2” area and had red sores that itched, but otherwise tolerable. My hair did not fall out, which was good news. I have superficial as well as nodular BCC. If you can tolerate this cream, it is well worth a try before going the surgery route. It took months for any doctor to suggest it to me. Most people have good reactions to this cream if you read the studies that are online. Good luck."

• Unc...
• August 28, 2017

Aldara (imiquimod) "My basal cell had recurred after surgical removal. Another removal would have resulted in extensive plastic surgery. The Aldara had no visible effect until the second week. By the fifth week, the area looked horrible, and I became concerned. Nevertheless, I continued application, and by week eight, I was looking in the mirror at new, fresh, pink skin. Wonderful! Based upon my experience, I think it is generally correct to believe that if there is one basal cell area, the entire face is damaged, even though it is not visible. Therefore, I would recommend using the cream only on the limited, visible lesion. Otherwise, the area of lesions will be large and scary."