Warticon Cream & Solution

Warticon Cream & Solution for Genital Warts

Uses for Warticon Cream & Warticon Solution

Warticon is used to treat genital warts, which are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Both the cream and the solution are used to treat genital warts, applied directly to the wart rather than taken by mouth.

There’s a small difference in where each one is used:

• Warticon cream is used for warts on the penis in men and external warts on the vagina in women.
• Warticon solution is used for warts on the foreskin of the penis in men and external warts on the vagina in females.

Both are for external skin only. Neither should be applied to warts inside the penis, vagina or rectum.

How does Warticon work for genital warts?

The active ingredient in Warticon is podophyllotoxin, a plant extract that belongs to a group of medicines called antivirals. Each product contains the active ingredient podophyllotoxin as a topical treatment, meaning it acts on the wart tissue where it’s applied rather than working throughout the body.

Treatment runs in courses, with 3 days of application followed by 4 days off, so the skin has time to settle. After two or three days, you may notice mild irritation of the treated area, which shows the treatment is starting to work.

Genital warts are contagious and can be passed to or from a sexual partner, so treating them is only one part of managing them.

What’s the difference between Warticon Cream & Warticon Solution?

Waritcon cream vs solution: Which one should I use?

When you’re weighing up between the two, the cream is often easier if you’re treating warts by hand or in areas that are harder to reach with an applicator. Both treatment options follow the same course. The solution has a loop end for separate warts and a spatula end for larger warts or several warts close together, which some people find more precise.

Our pharmacists will help you decide if a solution or cream suits you better during your consultation.

Who can use Warticon?

Warticon cream and Warticon solution are for adults aged 18 years and over. Neither is recommended for children under 18, as use in this age group hasn’t been established.

Don’t use Warticon if you:

• Are allergic to podophyllotoxin or any of the other ingredients
• Have warts on broken, damaged or bleeding skin
• Are already using another medicine containing podophyllotoxin

Our online doctor service and pharmacy team will check if Warticon is suitable for you before you start your treatment. Speak to your doctor before starting if your warts cover an area bigger than 4 centimetres, roughly the size of a postage stamp. You may need to have the treatment applied by a doctor or nurse in a clinic.

Warticon isn’t recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Use a reliable method of contraception while you’re using it, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

How to Use Warticon Cream & Solution

Apply Warticon twice a day, in the morning and evening, roughly every 12 hours for 3 days. Then don’t apply anything for the next 4 days. That completes one treatment course.

If any warts remain 7 days after you started, repeat the course. A maximum of 4 courses may be applied. If warts are still there after 4 courses, see your doctor.

Applying Warticon Cream

1. Wash the affected area with soap and water, then dry it gently with a clean towel.
2. Using a fingertip, apply the cream to cover each wart, using only enough to cover it.
3. Rub the cream into the wart, keeping it off the surrounding healthy skin. If you do get cream on healthy skin, wash it off with soap and water.
4. Wash your hands thoroughly.
5. Screw the lid back on tightly.

Applying Warticon Solution

1. Wash the affected area with soap and water, then dry it gently with a clean towel.
2. Use a new applicator each time.
3. Dip the loop end of the applicator into the solution. For a large wart, no bigger than a postage stamp, or lots of warts in a small area, use the spatula end instead.
4. Apply the solution until the wart is just covered and let it dry, keeping it off healthy skin. If the solution does get onto healthy skin, wash it off with soap and water.
5. Repeat for each wart, and let all the treated skin dry before anything touches the area.
6. Wash your hands thoroughly.
7. Screw the lid back on tightly.

Warticon solution is flammable, so avoid smoking or being near an open flame while you’re applying it and straight afterwards.

Don’t cover the treated area with a plaster or dressing, and avoid getting either product in your eyes. If you do, rinse immediately with plenty of water and see a doctor.

It’s best to avoid sex during treatment and to wait until your warts have gone and your skin has healed. If you do have sex, use a condom to help prevent the spread of genital warts and to protect your partner from contact with podophyllotoxin, which is an irritant.

Warticon Cream & Solution Side Effects

Like all medicines, Warticon cream and Warticon solution can cause side effects, though not everybody gets them. The cream may cause a reaction where it’s applied, and the possible side effects below are grouped by how often they happen.

Very Common Side Effects

These may affect more than 1 in 10 people:

• Wearing away of the top layers of skin
• Irritation at the application site, including redness, itching and a burning sensation

Other Side Effects

The frequency of these can’t be estimated from the available data. They occur on the area of skin where the treatment is used:

• Allergic reaction, pain, swelling or bleeding
• Damage to or loss of the top layer of skin, or a weeping wound
• Skin ulcer, scab, skin discolouration, dry skin or blistering

Serious Side Effects

Stop using Warticon and seek medical attention if you get severe burning, stinging, pain, bleeding, itching or swelling of the treated skin. Wash it off your skin immediately with soap and water, and contact your doctor.

Reporting Warticon Side Effects

If you notice any side effects of Warticon, tell your doctor or pharmacist, even if they aren’t listed here. You can also report side effects through the Yellow Card Scheme. Reporting helps to improve the understanding of this medicine’s safety.

Warticon Ingredients

Warticon contains podophyllotoxin as its active ingredient, alongside the other ingredients listed below.

Warticon Cream

• Active ingredient: podophyllotoxin 0.15% w/w (1.5mg per gram)
• Other ingredients: purified water, methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218), propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216), sorbic acid, phosphoric acid, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, isopropyl myristate, liquid paraffin, medium chain triglycerides, butyl hydroxyanisole (E320), macrogol 7 stearyl ether, macrogol 10 stearyl ether

Warticon Solution

• Active ingredient: podophyllotoxin 0.5% w/v
• Other ingredients: phosphoric acid, ethanol, Patent Blue V (E131), purified water

Warnings and Precautions

• Use of Warticon is for external skin only and it must never be taken by mouth.
• Keeping the treatment off healthy skin helps lower the risk of side effects.
• Don’t apply it to warts inside the penis, vagina or rectum.
• Avoid applying it to the healthy skin surrounding the wart.
• Don’t put a plaster or any other dressing over the treated area.
• Warticon solution is flammable. Keep it away from fire, flame and heat, store it below 25°C and keep it out of direct sunlight.
• Warticon cream contains butyl hydroxyanisole (E320), sorbic acid, stearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol, which may cause local skin reactions such as contact dermatitis. Butyl hydroxyanisole may also irritate the eyes and mucous membranes.
• Warticon cream contains methyl and propyl parahydroxybenzoates (E218 and E216), which may cause delayed allergic reactions.
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any other medicines you’re using, have recently used or might use, including anything bought without a prescription.
• Keep Warticon out of the sight and reach of children.
• If you accidentally swallow any, see your doctor or go to hospital straight away and take the pack with you.