Catephen 10% Ointment

Catephen 10% ointment is used to treat external genital and anal warts caused by HPV. Suitable for both men and women, it’s available on prescription in the UK. The topical treatment contains green tea leaf extract as the main ingredient.

How to use Catephen 10% Ointment

Always follow the instructions as stated on the patient information leaflet or instructed by your GP. Catephen ointment should be applied as follows:

1. Wash your hands before touching the affected area.
2. Apply the ointment three times a day in the morning, afternoon and evening.
3. Apply a small amount of ointment to your finger then gently dab each wart. There should be a thin layer of ointment over the affected area.
4. If new warts develop during treatment, treat them in the same way.

Catephen ointment is designed for external use only. Do not apply the ointment internally (into the anus, urethra, or vagina) and avoid covering the treated area with bandages after you’ve applied the ointment.

Catephen Ointment side effects

Though Catephen Ointment is an effective and safe genital wart treatment, it carries a small risk of producing side effects. If you experience any of the following side effects in the treated area, seek professional advice from your GP or pharmacist:

• Redness, itching, irritation, pain or swelling.
• Swelling, open sores, hardening of the skin, or blisters.
• Skin flakiness, discharge, bleeding, or swelling.
• Enlarged lymph nodes (in the groin).

Rarer side effects include:

• Local scarring.
• Increase or loss of sensation.
• Changes in skin colour at the application site.
• Inflammation of the urethra, vulva, vagina, foreskin, or penis head.

Catephen ointment isn’t suitable for use if you’re taking food supplements containing high amounts of green tea leaf extract.

Catephen Ointment ingredients

The active substance in Catephen Ointment is an extract from green tea leaves. It also contains white soft paraffin (contains all-rac-α-tocopherol), white beeswax, isopropyl myristate, oleyl alcohol, and propylene glycol monopalmitostearate.

Catephen Ointment warnings

Catephen ointment is not approved for individuals under the age of 18. You should also be aware of the following warnings before using this treatment:

• There may be implications for those with underlying liver problems, such as abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen.
• You must avoid contact with your eyes, nostrils, lips and mouth. If the ointment gets on any of these areas, it should be wiped off and/or rinsed off with water.
• You mustn’t apply the treatment to open wounds or broken/inflamed skin.
• Uncircumcised men treating warts under their foreskin should retract the foreskin and clean the area daily to prevent phimosis (the inability to pull the foreskin over the head of the penis). Failure to do so may result in open sores or hardened skin.

Can you use Catephen while pregnant or breastfeeding?

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine. You can learn more about genital warts and pregnancy in our useful guide.

There is limited research available on the use of Catephen in pregnant women. However, reproductive studies in animals have shown toxic effects, so it’s generally sensible to seek alternative treatment options as a precautionary measure.

Similarly, the link between breastfeeding and Catephen is unknown, though it’s thought that the risk of Catephen causing adverse effects in breastfed babies is likely to be low.

Sources

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.1894.pdf