Warticon Cream for Genital Warts

What is Warticon Cream?

Warticon Cream /0.15% w/w podophyllotoxin) is a prescription-only topical treatment used to treat genital warts on the penis or external female genitalia. The active ingredient works by preventing wart cells from dividing and destroying visible warts caused by HPV. 

Only to be used for soft, external warts, not for internal, rectal or mucosal surfaces. 

Warticon cream needs to be applied twice a day for 3 consecutive days, then stop for 4 days. This completes one cycle and can be repeated up to 4 times (4 weeks).

How long does it take Warticon Cream to work?

Warts begin to clear and reduce by the end of cycle 2 (2 weeks), but most people will find complete clearance takes up to 4 weeks. 

What if Warticon doesn't work for me?

After 4 weeks of treatment, if you find you still have visible warts, contact your GP or Sexual Health Clinic as alternative prescription creams or cryotherapy may be considered. 

Ingredients

The active substance is podophyllotoxin 0.15% w/w (1.5 milligram per gram of Warticon Cream).

The other ingredients are: purified water, methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218), propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216), sorbic acid, phosphoric acid, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, isopropyl myristate, liquid paraffin, triglycerides – medium chain, butyl hydroxyanisole (E320), macrogol – 7 stearyl ether, macrogol – 10 stearyl ether.

Always use Warticon Cream exactly as your doctor pr pharmaicst has prescribed. 

How to Use Warticon Cream

• Apply Warticon Cream twice a day, in the morning and evening (every 12 hours) for 3 days.
• Do not apply any cream for the next 4 days. This completes one treatment course.
• When you apply Warticon cream, after two or three days you may notice mild irritation of the areas treated. This shows that Warticon Cream is starting to work. However, Warticon cream can cause severe skin reactions. If this occurs, stop using Warticon Cream and seek medical attention.
• If you still have any warts remaining 7 days after you started using the cream, repeat the treatment course (twice a day for 3 days followed by 4 days where you do not use the cream).
• A maximum of 4 treatment courses may be applied.
• If any warts remain after 4 treatment courses consult your doctor.

How to apply Warticon Cream

1. Wash the affected areas with soap and water. Dry the area gently with a clean towel.

2. Using a fingertip, apply Warticon Cream to cover each wart. Use only enough cream to cover each wart.

3. Rub the cream into the wart. Be careful not to get the cream onto healthy skin. If this happens, wash the cream off with soap and water.

4. Wash your hands thoroughly.

5. Make sure you have screwed the lid back on tightly

Like all medicines, Warticon Cream can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop using Warticon Cream and seek medical attention:

• severe burning, stinging, pain, bleeding, itching or swelling of the treated skin. If these symptoms occur, wash Warticon Cream from your skin with soap and water immediately and contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Very common side effects

These may affect more than 1 in 10 people:

• wearing away of the top layers of skin, application site irritation, including redness, itching, burning sensation

Other side effects with frequencies that cannot be estimated from the available data include:

• allergic reaction, pain, swelling, bleeding
• damage to or loss of the top layer of skin, weeping wound
• skin ulcer, scab, skin discolouration, dry skin, blister.

These effects can occur on the area of skin where you use the cream.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the above description and patient information leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for “MHRA yellowcard” in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.