Vaniqa
Vaniqa (pronounced “VAN-i-ka”) is a brand name prescription cream
applied to the skin for the reduction of unwanted facial hair
in women ages 12 and older. For unknown reasons, Vaniqa does not
work for everyone.
You'll have to get a prescription from your doctor. Some insurance
policies do not cover Vaniqa.
Effectiveness: About 58% of women who tried Vaniqa in clinical
trials had improvement. The other 42% had no improvement.
This medication is not a depilatory, but rather appears to retard
hair growth to improve the condition and the appearance of some
consumers. You will likely need to continue using a hair removal
method (e.g., shaving, plucking) in conjunction with Vaniqa. It
will usually take 2 months of treatment before you see if it works
or not. If you stop taking Vaniqa, your hair may come back to
previous levels within 2 months after stopping.
The active ingredient in Vaniqa is eflornithine hydrochloride.
It inhibits an enzyme that affects hair growth, called ornithine
decarboxylase (ODC). Clinical data indicates that taking an oral
version of the drug can affect hair growth.
Vaniqa should not be used:
 By men. It has not been tested on males.
By women who are pregnant or nursing,
because Vaniqa has not been tested to see if it causes birth
defects and miscarriages in humans
By females under age 12.
Anywhere except on the face and chin.
In the eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.
If you have severe acne or broken skin.
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