When prescription topical hair growth retarder Vaniqa first hit the market in 2000, it spurred numerous copy-cat consumer products, each claiming to reduce hair growth on all parts of the body. Chicago-based consumer activist Andrew James points out that drugstore products, which are not approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for purposes of retarding hair growth, are highly unlikely to give you the results you expect.
Vaniqa: The Real Deal
Eflornithine hydrochloride is the active drug contained in Vaniqa that inhibits hair growth by slowing down the enzymes that cause hair to grow, notes Mayo Clinic experts. Vaniqa, which contains 13.9 percent eflornithine hydrochloride, is approved by the FDA for use in women over the age of 12 and only on the face, with the exception of the eye area.
How It's Used
The manufacturer states that Vaniqa is to be used as a supplementary method to retard hair growth. If your doctor prescribes Vaniqa, you'll have to use another method as well, be it shaving, waxing, plucking or the use of depilatories. Vaniqa is generally applied twice daily, at least five minutes after the primary form of hair removal, according to Mayo Clinic experts. It may take between four and eight weeks for women to notice results. Vaniqa must be used on an ongoing basis.
Effectiveness
Vaniqa doesn't result in hair growth reduction in every woman, James points out. Clinical data supplied by the FDA from a 2000 study indicates that 58 percent of women noticed some reduction in facial hair growth, while the remaining 42 percent noticed no benefits. Caucasians noted more pronounced results than non-Caucasians.
Other Consumer Products
What about creams and lotions advertised on TV and the Internet that claim to retard hair growth? Consumer beware, James' website, HairFacts.Com, advises. None of these products have been scientifically proven to retard hair growth, nor do they have the FDA's stamp of approval. Similarly, there are an abundance of rumors that consuming certain dietary supplements or foods, including meat tenderizer, can inhibit hair growth. File these under "old wives tales," James warns. Oral prescription medications--such as androgen blockers that treat underlying medical conditions that cause excessive hair growth--are the only products that are proven to work.
Stay Smart
When it comes to hair removal, it benefits your bottom line to stick with the tried and true. Shaving, waxing or sugaring, tweezing and the use of cream depilatories are conventional methods used to get rid of unwanted hair on the face and body. For more long-lasting or even permanent results, Mayo Clinic experts advise choosing an FDA-approved method such as laser hair reduction or electrolysis.
Member Comments