Eflornithine

1 medicine

Eflornithine is used as a topical cream to slow unwanted facial hair growth, and as an intravenous treatment for advanced African sleeping sickness; the injectable form requires hospital monitoring for seizures and bone marrow suppression.

Vaniqa

Eflornithine

13.9%

Vaniqa is a womens health medication containing Eflornithine, available as 13.9% tubes.

from $49.30 / tube View

Key facts

  • Eflornithine cream (sold as Vaniqa) slows the regrowth of unwanted facial hair; it does not remove hair that is already there and must be used alongside shaving, plucking, or another hair-removal method.
  • A high-dose intravenous form of eflornithine treats the late, brain-affecting stage of human African trypanosomiasis, sleeping sickness, and is given only in hospital.
  • The injectable form can suppress bone marrow function and trigger seizures during treatment, so blood counts and neurological status are monitored closely throughout the course.
  • With the cream, visible improvement takes 4 to 8 weeks, and hair returns to its previous pattern within about 8 weeks of stopping.

What eflornithine treats

As a topical cream, eflornithine treats excessive facial hair growth (hirsutism) in women. As an intravenous infusion, it treats the meningoencephalitic, central nervous system stage of sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, usually as part of a combination regimen with another antiparasitic drug.

How eflornithine works

Eflornithine blocks an enzyme called ornithine decarboxylase, which cells need to make polyamines, molecules required for rapid cell division and growth. In hair follicles this slows the rate and thickness of new hair growth. In the parasite that causes sleeping sickness, blocking the same enzyme starves the organism of the polyamines it needs to survive and multiply.

Before you take it

  • Tell your prescriber if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive; data on the cream in pregnancy are limited, and the injectable form is used only when the benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
  • Do not apply the cream to broken, irritated, or recently shaved or waxed skin; wait until any irritation settles.
  • The injectable form is not suitable for anyone with severe bone marrow suppression or hearing loss without specialist assessment first.
  • Tell your care team about all other medicines, since the injectable form is usually combined with another antiparasitic drug as part of treatment.

Side effects

With the cream, common effects are skin redness, stinging, dryness, and tiny bumps at the application site.

Seek urgent medical care for:

  • Severe rash, blistering, or facial swelling.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • During intravenous treatment: fever, unusual bruising or bleeding, seizures, or confusion.

Safety essentials

  • Intravenous eflornithine for sleeping sickness requires hospital-based treatment with regular blood counts, because it can cause reversible but serious bone marrow suppression and seizures.
  • Eflornithine cream is for cosmetic hair reduction only; it will not treat any underlying hormonal cause of excess hair growth, and unwanted hair returns after stopping.
  • Do not use the cream at the same time as waxing, electrolysis, or depilatory creams on the same skin without checking with a pharmacist, since irritation can be more intense.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.