Severe Reaction to 5% Imiquimod Cream with Excellent Clinical and Cosmetic Outcomes

April 2007 | Volume 6 | Issue 4 | Case Reports | 452 | Copyright © April 2007


H.L. Greenberg MD, Joel L. Cohen MD, Ted Rosen MD, Ida Orengo MD

Abstract
Imiquimod, an immune response modifier approved for the treatment of external genital warts, actinic keratoses, and superficial basal cell carcinoma, can induce a severe local inflammatory response. This phenomenon can accompany inappropriately overzealous, as well as entirely conventional, drug utilization. Despite strikingly brisk reactions, the 9 patients reported herein ultimately experienced excellent cosmetic and clinical outcomes. We report this series to alert clinicians of the good prognosis for a satisfactory outcome even when faced with extreme imiquimod cream-induced inflammation.