Vaniqa is a prescription-only cream containing the active ingredient 13.9 percent eflornithine hydrochloride. Manufactured by SkinMedica, Inc., the product is designed to reduce unwanted hair in women who have excessive facial hair. Rather than removing hair, eflornithine slows hair growth by affecting an enzyme in the body.
Women and Facial Hair
Excessive facial hair is common in women and results from a variety of factors, explains the New Zealand Dermatological Society on their DermNet NZ website. It can be due to the genetic conditions hirsutism or hypertrichosis, medical disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, certain medications or simply the normal aging process, particularly near menopause. Excessive facial hair can cause embarrassment and low self-esteem.
Ornithine Decarboxylase and Hair
The U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration has approved Vaniqa for reducing the growth of facial hair in women, according to the Vaniqa official website. The active ingredient in the cream, eflornithine, blocks ornithine decarboxylase. Ornithine decarboxylase is an enzyme associated with hair follicle development and hair growth, explains an article published in the June 1999 issue of "Mechanisms of Development."
Effectiveness
Unfortunately, eflornithine cream does not work for everyone. In two studies cited by DermNet NZ, 35 percent of patients using eflornithine cream showed significant improvement after 24 weeks compared with 9 percent of those using a placebo. Some participants experienced improvement within four weeks, but others took longer, and according to MedlinePlus, it could take up to six months before you see improvement with this product,.
Usage
Because eflornithine slows hair growth but does not remove hair, you'll still need to use your regular method of hair removal even if eflornithine cream works for you. Eventually, however, you should be able to do so less frequently. If you stop applying the cream, the hair will continue growing as it did before you started treatment. Eflornithine cream is often used in combination with professional hair removal methods, such as laser therapy, and combination treatment may be more successful. The Vaniqa official website cites a study in which complete or nearly-complete hair removal occurred in 94 percent of the participants using Vaniqa and who were also receiving laser hair removal over six months. This compared to 68 percent of participants receiving laser therapy without Vaniqa.
Side Effects
Eflornithine cream is generally very well tolerated, according to DermNet NZ. Some women experience minor and temporary skin irritation, which may include redness, stinging or burning sensations, tingling, a rash, ingrown hairs or acne. You can lessen these side effects by using the cream only once a day.
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