use of aldara cream

[rob6578]

I have two small slighlty raised reddish purple pimples on the tip of my penis, and have had them for as long as i can remember.
They don't vary in size much, pretty much staying the same.  A doctor told me a number of years ago that they were probably blood vessels, but that they could be warts, although unlikely.
I have had no problems with them and have had sex with my wife for years with no problems.  Recently I read about a cream called Aldara for warts that said applying this cream 3 times a week could eliminate warts and that the sides effects were mild.
I thought i would order it and try it, thinking it couldn't hurt if it wasn't a wart.  I applied the cream as instructed every other day for about 2 weeks ( 6 or 7 applications).  After about two weeks I started developing a very red, painful spot just below the pimples underneath the penis head, as well as a spot on my scrotum on the same side.  The lesions are very red, and sore with some sloughing it seems.  One looks like a large herpes lesion(which I have never had there).
I stopped the application a week ago and the lesions don't appear to be improving.  I applied hydrocotisone cream and have made an appointment with a dermatologist for one week from now.
Should I be concerned and see him sooner and is putting hydrocortisone ok for this?  Will it clear on its own doing nothing if it is associated with the aldara, which I believe it is.  It doesn't seem to be getting worse , but not much better either.  Do you suggest any better ointment until i see the dermatologist?  Please advise.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I repeat--my advice is to stop the Aldara, which can indeed cause severe irritation, and get a proper diagnosis.

Dr. Rockoff

[rob6578]

Follow up:  the area of irritation on my scrotum ( on the same side I was applying the adara to the head of my penis) definately seems to be drying and healing.  
That irritation on the scrotum appeared a few days before the head of my penis on the side of the application started to get very red, and a bit sore.  
Should I expect this to improve the same way and as far a aldara, have you seen severe reactions like the one I described after only 6 or 7 applications?
Thanks again

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I'm not at all sure you have warts.  Reddish-purple pimples on the penis sound much more like collections of blood vessels called angiomas.  These require no treatment.

Aldara can be quite irritating.  I think you should stop it and let the skin alone so it can heal over.  Then let the dermatologist diagnose you properly.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff