Imiquimod 5% cream

Imiquimod is intended for the treatment of certain types of skin diseases, such as precancerous skin lesions (actinic keratosis), a minor form of skin cancer (superficial basal cell carcinoma), and genital warts. Treating these states can minimize the risk of skin complications. The drug falls within the group of biological response modifiers. Imiquimod acts by boosting your immune system to defeat the above-mentioned skin problems. The drug shouldn’t be used by the patients under the age of 12 years of age (unless it’s prescribed by the doctor).
How to use the drug?

Imiquimod 5 cream comes in the form of a cream for skin application.

If you use the drug for the treatment of AK, you should apply it once a day for two days a week. Avoid applying the cream the mouth, nose and eyes. Leave the cream on your skin for about 8 hours. Keep using Imiquimod 5 cream for about 4 months, even if all the symptoms of AK have gone.

If you’re applying the cream for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma, use it once a day for five days a week. Apply the medication to the affected area. Leave the cream on the skin for a night. Keep using the medication for about a month and a half, even if all the symptoms of disease have gone.

If you use the medication for the treatment of genital warts, you should apply it once a day for three days a week. Leave the medication on the skin for about eight hours. Keep using the drug until the disease is healed (about 4 months).

Imiquimod also actively stimulates the processes of skin regeneration and improves their appearance with actinic (senile) keratosis. Possessing an immunomodulating effect, Imiquimod has a stimulating effect on the production and synthesis of interferon.

Instruction to Imiquimod indicates that according to clinical studies, its use allows to reduce the size of the neoplasms or complete regression in about 80% of cases in patients with condylomata, 8-10% showed significant improvements. In the treatment of basal cell carcinoma with the drug, a positive therapeutic effect was achieved in about 75 cases out of 100, with no scar changes left on the skin (as after surgical procedures). The duration of application of the drug Imiquimod, depending on the severity of the course of the disease, usually lasts from 12 to 16 weeks.

How to use the cream?

Wash your hands and the affected skin area. Let it dry.
Apply the medication to the part of skin that requires treatment before going to bed.
Rub Imiquimod 5 cream thoroughly into the skin.
Clean your hands again.
Leave the medication on your skin for as long as necessary. Avoid taking a shower or bathing in this period of time.
After the end of therapy, wash the treated skin part carefully to eliminate the cream.