Vaniqa® for Hair Reduction

Vaniqa is a prescription hair reduction cream; its active ingredient, Eflornithine, was originally developed as a cancer medication. Unfortunately, doctors found no significant effects on cancer, but discovered a number of surprising uses for the drug, as a treatment for African sleeping sickness and you guess it, hair reduction. Vaniqa cream is not to be confused with a depilatory; it does not remove hair. It is an enzyme inhibitor that simply retards hair growth. Within the first 4-6 weeks most Vaniqa users see a noticeable reduction in the amount of unwanted facial hair. It works with all skin types and hair colors, including coarse, dark hair and light, peach fuzz. While Vaniqa will certainly slow your hair growth, you'll still want to use it in conjunction with your current method of hair removal.

Vaniqa Instructions for Hair Removal Treatment

Vaniqa is used twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Apply Vaniqa cream after cleaning your face but before you put on your make-up or moisturizer. Spread a thin layer of Vaniqa on the affected area until it's absorbed into the skin. You should wait 8 hours between applications and remember to keep using your current hair removal method; your unwanted hair won't remove itself. Vaniqa should be avoided by men (as there have been no clinical trials on men), women who are pregnant or nursing, and females under the age of 12.

Vaniqa is the only FDA approved hair reduction cream for women currently on the market. It is an ally against unwanted facial hair as it takes longer for the treated hair to grow back. However, there a few things you should know about Vaniqa before you get started...

Not for Everyone

In testing, Vaniqa caused hair reduction in nearly 60% of women. The reasons why Vaniqa doesn't work from some women are unknown, but suffice it say Vaniqa cream does not work for everyone. Also, those who stop taking Vaniqa should also be aware that your hair is likely to grow back to its original levels within months.

Vaniqa is Powerful Medicine

Vaniqa has no significant side effects when used properly. Only limited cases of temporary skin irritations such as redness, burning, or acne have been reported. Still Vaniqa is a prescription medication and should be treated as such. Follow the instructions well. Vaniqa cream should only be used on the face or chin, and the eyes, nose, and mouth must be avoided. Also, do not use Vaniqa if you have severe acne or broken skin. A Vaniqa overdose can result in bleeding skin or facial swelling.

Vaniqa with Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal technology has made great strides in the numbers of hair and skin types it's effective for, but the technology still has its limitations. In this sense, laser hair removal has found a new best friend. Clinical studies have demonstrated that Vaniqa can actually improve laser hair removal results. In one study with Vaniqa cream and lasers, after 6 months of treatment, 96% of patients received permanent and total hair removal.