Hair removal cream
There are a number of creams on the market that can be used for hair removal. These come in various forms such as gels, lotions and aerosols. The cream works by reacting with the protein structure of the hairs, causing them to dissolve. The majority of patients will find this treatment painless; however, some patients may be allergic to the chemicals used in the creams.
Advantages
- Inexpensive: affordable removal of body hair.
- Fast: just a few minutes for effective treatment.
- Safe for most people.
- Painless for nearly all users.
- Can be conveniently used at home.
- Easily available at a wide range of outlets.
- Can be used on large areas of body hairs.
Disadvantages
- Short-term effects (from a few hours to 2 weeks).
- Hair can still be visible under the skin for some dark-haired users.
- Some areas of the body require daily use of creams.
- Can sometimes cause patchy results.
- Can burn the skin if the cream is applied in the wrong place.
- Some creams have unpleasant aromas.
- This form of hair removal can be a messy process.
- Can cause allergic reactions.
Background
The use of creams to remove hair is known as a depilatory treatment. The most common active ingredient in hair removal creams is calcium thioglycolate. It works by breaking down the disulfide bonds in keratin and dissolving the hairs.
A popular medical cream that can be applied to the face is Vaniqa. This method has proved effective in trials where 58% of the women experienced significant hair reduction.
Treatment
Make sure you select the correct cream for the area of body to be treated. Using the wrong cream may result in patchy results or even skin burns. Whichever cream is purchased, the patient must perform a skin test, as some people are allergic or have sensitivity to the active ingredients.
Creams should be applied for a minimum of 5 minutes but for no more than 15 minutes. The duration of treatment usually depends on the coarseness or fineness of the hair being removed. Once the hairs have dissolved they can be easily wiped off the body. The area treated should then be washed afterwards to remove any traces of the cream.
The most common creams are suitable for the legs, bikini line, hands and underarms. There are also creams that can be used for facial hair so it is important to choose the correct one. The results are short term, sometimes up to 2 weeks, but this is still far longer than the results obtained by shaving.
Vaniqa
Vaniqa is a prescription topical cream that inhibits the growth of unwanted facial hairs. The active ingredient in Vaniqa is Eflornithine Hydrochloride. Vaniqa works by inhibiting an enzyme that is required for cell reproduction and other cell functions necessary for stimulating hair growth. Most people notice results after 4-8 weeks of therapy. However, other hair removal methods must be used during this period until the treatment takes effect. Vaniqa treatment must be continued for as long as the prevention of hair growth is desired. Vaniqa will continue to reduce the growth of hairs for up to 8 weeks after treatment. Once treatment stops the hair will return to its previous level within 2 months. Just over half the women who tried Vaniqa in clinical trials showed improvement.
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