Imiquimod topical for Human Papilloma Virus User Reviews (Page 5)

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2019

Imiquimod topical "I'll use Aldara 3 times a week. I recently used it for the 2nd time, and warts on my penis already started shrinking, some are gone too. I didn't experience any side effects so far, but I got mild flu-like symptoms. Expensive medicine, but definitely useful, very quick to effect."

• Ks7...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2016

"I was prescribed this cream to treat HPV that I've been diagnosed with. The doctor didn't go into much detail about how to use the cream except to put it on the infected area. I put it on the infected area and the surrounding areas. I used the cream about 3-4 times, and now it's the worst pain ever. It feels like a chemical burn to my genitals. I've stopped using the cream, and it's been about 4 days, and I can still barely walk due to the amount of pain and discomfort this cream has caused. I've been using Neosporin, but it is not helping. Does anyone recommend trying anything else to get the burning pain to go away?"

• Pai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2015

"I used this cream for three days after being diagnosed with genital warts (HPV). The next day I was in so much pain in my genital area. My small itchy warts turned into big white sores. It's been 5 days since, and the pain was so unbearable that I went to urgent care, where I was told I had chemically burned my genitals. They told me that I was just supposed to put a small amount on the infected areas, but I had placed it all over for 'preventable measures.' If you use this cream, use as little as possible. I'm still in so much pain. I have trouble sleeping and walking. Peeing is really painful. This cream made my situation much worse. Use with caution."

• GW ...
• January 31, 2015

"Initially, I was worried that this treatment wasn't working because I didn't see immediate results after the first two applications. After a week, however, I saw significant reductions in the size of my warts. And now, at week three, you can barely see anything at all. At first, I was very distressed about the extreme side effects I had (severe itchiness, erythema, some bleeding), which were very concerning to me. They did subside, however, by the fourth or fifth application of Aldara. My advice would be to not give up! Yes, it is very itchy and somewhat painful with the first few applications, but the side effects do subside and the effects are significant. Just be patient, and you will see results."

• Lin...
• February 18, 2016

"I am a female, 25. I made a mistake and had unprotected sex with two guys back in November. I found the first tiny warts by the end of December. After 5 weeks, they became medium size, and that's when I started worrying. I thought my sexual life was over. I went to see the doctor, and she prescribed Aldara. It has been only a week, but I already see them shrink. They itch, burn, and hurt, but I can tolerate it. If it's really bad, I apply a herbal ointment, which is good for healing wounds and burns. If it's dry, I apply the soothing cream for intimate care. They really help. I apply a very small amount of Aldara only on the affected area. I had sex the day after applying, and it didn't cause significant discomfort or pain."

• Per...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 11, 2019

"I was prescribed this imiquimod medicine for HPV and wish I would have been given better instructions! I used two doses and am in the most excruciating pain I’ve ever been in. You only need a little bit and only on the warts themselves, NOT all around them!! I made this mistake and have been experiencing nausea, loss of appetite, tenderness and pain on external genitals, body aches, chills, headache, fatigue, swelling, all the symptoms that you DON'T want a medication to give you!! I think if I had been given clear instructions on how much to actually use, I don’t think I’d be in this much pain and agony. It hurts to walk, sit, go to the bathroom, the only time it feels better is when I’m in a warm bath. If you are prescribed this, DO NOT use the whole packet!!!! I hope this helps so nobody has to experience the same thing I am!! OUCH!!!"

• Fit...
• June 3, 2016

"Had 5 HPV warts on the perineum area, and two just up on my vagina, and after 4 rounds of unsuccessful cryo, I was referred to a Gyno who booked me in for surgical excision and gave me Aldara at my request, citing that she had 'little hope' it would get rid of them. She was 100% wrong, they started clearing almost straight away. I applied the cream to the warts every second day for two and a half weeks (using half a packet each time), and the warts have literally ALL gone. My side effects were insane, with possibly the most intense burning I have ever felt, swelling, nausea, and severe back pain and flu symptoms, BUT I would do it again in a heartbeat."

• Per...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2015

"I was prescribed Aldara by my GP for genital warts. I was instructed to use the cream 3x weekly (every other day) and to use it sparingly. I had approx 5 warts at the time of diagnosis, one large, about the size of a pea, and the others about the size of crumbs. I am on my 7th application (beginning Week 3), and already the warts have almost vanished. The largest one has reduced to the size of a crumb, and only one other remains. The 1st week and a half I had some discomfort (I couldn't wear underwear as the treatment area was quite sore and raw), but nothing torturous like other stories I've read online. My labia is swollen, and a few blisters have developed near the treatment area, but I assume this will subside after I stop applying the cream."

• Unk...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2019

"I’m a 25-year-old black woman, and recently I was told I have HPV. Super scary at first because I have never had anything like this and didn’t know what to expect. I believe it was contracted from me getting Brazilian waxes. I went to my dermatologist first and tried cryotherapy, and it didn’t work, so I went to my OBGYN. He prescribed this medication, and I have been on it for about a week now. The warts have gone down tremendously. I had 2/3 in my bikini line area that are completely gone, and there are some in the butt crack area that were a bit larger. Maybe the size of a pinky fingernail. It’s still there, but I can definitely tell the difference. I’ll give it about another week or so before they go away. I'm in the mirror every day, all day looking at it, lol. I know it’s scary and unattractive, but the medication works. I just can’t wait for them to be gone. Oh, and it wasn’t as costly for me as others, with my insurance, I only paid $15."

• Joh...
• April 24, 2016

"I had really bad expectations when I started to read reviews about this medication. Then I experienced the side effects that came with it. However, the medicine worked for me after 4 1/2 weeks. I had a big cluster on my inner thigh, half the size of my pinky fingernail. It was embarrassing. I was ashamed and never sought treatment. I eventually saw a doctor, and she gave me imiquimod. Twelve little packs cost me around $200. I only used three, so I have extra for future outbreaks. I have two tips. One, make sure to only put the cream on the wart. Two, make sure that you wash the cream off after 6-8 hours. There will be discomfort at times, but it's manageable."

• Con...
• February 14, 2017

"So I want to help everyone out there who hates the way these things look. So the other day, I was looking in a handheld mirror at my warts and started to scratch them. I realized I couldn't feel it when I was touching the wart itself! I then proceeded to pinch off as much of the wart I could grab. It bled a little, but I didn't feel any pain! I let the cut heal for a few days, then used the cream once, and I've never seen better results! THE WHOLE WART IS GONE! I DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT TO SHRINK IN SIZE! Now, I do not know if this is safe or recommended, but I figured if I went to get them surgically removed, then they'd basically do the same thing but with a scalpel and charge me a lot! Good luck and let me know if this works for anyone!"

• Old...
• October 30, 2019

"I've been using the imiquimod cream 3x weekly for a month for HPV. No side effects yet (grateful). I have a few tiny warts, and the meds keep them at bay. Also one spot, a cluster. Told by docs it's a mild case. The cream has yet to make a huge difference. I'm hopeful it will soon. I do feel prickly and bothered there. This started about 6-8 months ago. I do feel dirty and not sexy... at all :( Good luck and sending healing vibes."

• Shh...
• November 2, 2015

"Been on this for exactly 1 month, and it managed to clear up most of my GW. Like some, I didn't experience immediate side effects and felt discouraged by this as I expected a lot of pain. After a few days, I experienced very mild itching and some slight redness, but this may have been my imagination. The warts seemed to get bigger at the start but quickly vanished, and now I have no visible warts at all! I used Warticon before, and it did absolutely nothing, so I was thrilled to see something finally working. Give it time and patience. One word of advice: I used this cream and got cryotherapy done around the same time. I would wait a week or so after cryo, apply the cream for a few weeks, then repeat if necessary. This seemed to really help."

• Rei...
• February 13, 2014

"I had some nasty warts at the vaginal opening. They were really gross but, ironically, went undetected for a long, long time. I used Imiquimod on them... in just two applications, they were completely GONE. It was AMAZING. I did have an extremely harsh response to it, with strong itching and irritation... not only in the vagina but in the general vulva area as well (guess my immune response to it was VERY effective). My boyfriend developed warts as well, on the pelvic area, and even though Imiquimod is working well for him, it has not been THAT effective. On the bright side, his warts are extremely tiny and difficult to see."

• Gan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2018

Imiquimod topical "It’s day ten, and I have used Aldara continuously in the first four days and stopped on the fifth day because the pain was unbearable and I wanted to take a break. The burning urination was still there, along with the itchiness, white discharge, and burning sensation overall. Pain started to ease on day eight, and I had sex and didn’t feel any discomfort (just embarrassment, lol). Today, I took a look at my vagina, and I was happy to see that most of my GWs were either completely gone or had gotten smaller. I applied Aldara again since I have no pain or discomfort and will continue to take it. Again, hope this works and will keep you updated."

• Red...
• April 24, 2018

"Went into the local PP for treatment of a couple of vaginal and anal warts. They treated them with acid and then wrote me a prescription for imiquimod if I needed further treatment. They said to allow my skin to heal up for one week before I try the imiquimod, but then I should use it three times a week at bedtime, then take it off in the morning. I only made it through two applications, and I managed to get nearly every side effect possible. Fever, weakness, malaise, itching, swelling, redness, discharge, open sores, skin cracking open and bleeding, intensely painful urination, and so much pus from the sores... I stopped treatment 4 days ago, and I swear it's only getting worse. I'm uninsured as hell and paid for this all out of pocket, and I'm very reluctant to try to go back into PP just for them to tell me that I'm going to have to ride this out. Honestly, I don't think this 'medicine' should ever be prescribed for treatment anywhere near anyone's genitals."

• Tod...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2021

Imiquimod topical "I was prescribed Aldara for genital warts. I applied it, no problems, however, after about a week, I started getting burns, growths, and bleeding. I thought nothing of it. I kept applying it, some of that calmed down, then getting worse in other parts. I’ve stopped applying it now. My penis is burned, skin and discharge. It hurts when I urinate or when I pull back my foreskin, it stings to touch. I don’t know if anyone else has experienced this?"

• Why...
• January 5, 2019

"So I was told I had a few little warts near my vagina and butt after I gave birth. I wanted to try something a little less dramatic than the acid, so I opted for the cream, and now I wish I had just let her use the acid. The first time I used it was no big deal. It was after the second time that I started to feel the burn and itching. I figured it was no big deal, a minor side effect. The next day I had a doc appointment, she looked at it before my pap and told me it looked fine. Then I went home, used it for the third time, and that will probably be the last time. The day after, I woke up to complete burning and itching, everything hurt: sitting, walking, peeing, even taking a bath burned like hell. I took one look at my vagina, and it was red, swollen, it looked almost like I had been burned. The pain was so bad I took a shower and cried the entire time. DON'T USE THIS CREAM. You will find a bunch of other women say this cream did nothing but cause them pain. I wish I had done my research."

• 420...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2016

"I'm a male, 23 yo. Was fighting with warts in my perineum area for almost 2 years. I tried to burn them at home with a PC air duster (if you sprayed it upside down, it sprays a very cold substance, like nitrogen but weaker), and it works, but it can give you marks, and after some time, the warts grew again. I was really scared, so I tried imiquimod (I'm from Peru, here you can find it with the name Imimore). I applied a really tiny amount of cream before sleeping 3x a week for like 12 weeks and didn't notice any improvement, so I switched to apply every day, and it magically started working. My skin got a little irritated and itched a bit, but never had pain or drastic side effects. Now it's been 16 weeks, and I'm clean! My advice: be patient."

• aqw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2017

"It's been almost one month since using this medication, and it is slowly but surely working. My lifted GW is now almost flat. My other small, barely raised GW's are hardly visible. Unfortunately, my warts are on my clitoris, which I haven't seen or heard anyone else's having warts in this area. My clitoris and skin surrounding the area are pretty sensitive, red, and raw. Yes, you may get some 'burning lesions,' most likely a chemical burn. Do not glob this medication on, just a thin layer will do. I learned that the hard way. I still get some oozing from the lesions, it kinda looks like pus, but this is normal with this cream. I can't wait to see the end!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2018

Imiquimod topical "After using it for 2 days, I noticed my warts shrinking and thought, hell yeah! By the end of the week, I can’t sleep because the small amount I’m putting in has burnt my penis, and it’s swollen and very red! It’s now been 3 weeks since I stopped using the product, and I still can’t touch my penis and pull back the skin without it bringing me to tears! The pain is unbelievable, and I will never forget it. Just walking around with underwear on hurts because it rubs."

• Itw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2016

"I had GW about 5 years ago, which has recurred again now. Recurrence is largely due to poor immunity. The pain from broken, damaged skin Aldara causes is unbearable, but worth it because it does work - slowly but eventually. I found relief by washing the area the next morning, or next day with a weak solution of apple cider vinegar diluted with warm water. This really helps soothe the skin and relieves itching. You can repeat as often as necessary."

• Mar...
• January 5, 2018

"I had genital warts for about a year (very small ones at first) and had them surgically removed, but they would come back and ended up having 4 surgeries (painful and quite expensive). Then I tried apple cider vinegar, and it worked well for small warts. After a while, a white patch appeared on my foreskin (1 square cm cluster of warts), and apple cider vinegar did not completely get rid of it, so I tried Imiquimod. No side effects at all, no scarring, and only 3 weeks, and the cluster was gone. I applied (3 times a week) a very small amount of cream and rubbed it until the skin had fully absorbed it. After 10 hours, I rinsed with water and cleaned my foreskin. I used only 1 sachet in 3 weeks. Miracle drug!"

• Fem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2016

"Had GW for about 2 weeks before being given Aldara. I was lucky enough to have read all the reviews before I started using it, so I knew to only use a little (the tiniest amount, about the size of the head of a pin, as my GW were small) and only on the wart and not the skin around it. Used it every other night and had hardly any side effects. During the day and on off nights, I used some aloe vera gel mixed with a drop of tea tree oil, and that really helped with the mild itching I had. I've been using it for 2 weeks now, the small warts have completely disappeared, and the one bigger one is significantly smaller. I also take garlic supplements, about 200 mg of selenium, cod liver oil, omega 3, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. Takes time, but it works!"

• ano...
• April 27, 2016

"I'm female, been battling these things on and off for a few years. Most of them have been on my rear. Started imiquimod, and they seemed to get worse, even popping up on my front. I did every other day for 2 months, then cut back to every 3-4 days. Yes, it irritates your skin. I also introduced a zinc 50 mg, n-acetylcysteine 600 mg, Bio Align Wellness formula, and vitamin D3 5000 IU (all from Vitamin World for under $50). I didn't change my diet, drinking, etc. It FINALLY WORKED! About 10-12 weeks in, and completely gone. It all seemed to get better right toward the end. STICK TO IT!! You can use it for up to 16 weeks. I also split up the packets to reduce the cost. You can get at least 2 uses per packet."