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How Do I Slow Down The Beard Growth On My Face?
Question: How do I slow down the beard growth on my face? I don't want to shave every other day? Is there some cream for that? What are the side-effects etc?
Brief Answer:
Eflornithidine cream
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for posting on HCM.
Facial hair growth, as you must be aware is dictated by hormones like testosterone.
Usually most of the times its females who are troubled with excessive facial hair known as Hirsuitism. But as you are specifically asking for some product to reduce beard growth, I will highlight some key points here.
As of now there are few studies quoting decrease of beard growth in males after using Eflornithidine hydrochloride cream. But these studies are mostly done on patients having pseudofolliculits barbae-an inflammatory condition due to ingrown beard hair. As the hair growth was suppressed by eflornithidine the condition improved.
But if extrapolate the same idea in your case then technically eflornithidine should work for your problem as well.
The mechanism of action of eflornithine is that it reduces the rate of cell growth within the hair follicle by inhibition of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and thereby decreases the growth of hair.
Eflornithidine cream should be applied over area of hair growth in thin layer twice a day and to be kept for atleast 4 hours. Usually the results take few months to be appreciable. It causes mild irritation and stinging, sometimes acne. Rarely hypersensitivity reaction can occur and thus repeat use should be avoided in such scenario.
Hope this will take care of your issue.
Wish you best of health.
Thank you
Dr Hardik Pitroda
M.D Dermatology
Eflornithidine cream
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for posting on HCM.
Facial hair growth, as you must be aware is dictated by hormones like testosterone.
Usually most of the times its females who are troubled with excessive facial hair known as Hirsuitism. But as you are specifically asking for some product to reduce beard growth, I will highlight some key points here.
As of now there are few studies quoting decrease of beard growth in males after using Eflornithidine hydrochloride cream. But these studies are mostly done on patients having pseudofolliculits barbae-an inflammatory condition due to ingrown beard hair. As the hair growth was suppressed by eflornithidine the condition improved.
But if extrapolate the same idea in your case then technically eflornithidine should work for your problem as well.
The mechanism of action of eflornithine is that it reduces the rate of cell growth within the hair follicle by inhibition of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and thereby decreases the growth of hair.
Eflornithidine cream should be applied over area of hair growth in thin layer twice a day and to be kept for atleast 4 hours. Usually the results take few months to be appreciable. It causes mild irritation and stinging, sometimes acne. Rarely hypersensitivity reaction can occur and thus repeat use should be avoided in such scenario.
Hope this will take care of your issue.
Wish you best of health.
Thank you
Dr Hardik Pitroda
M.D Dermatology
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Does applying this cream affect hair growth on other areas as well? I am specifically concerned about hairfall.
Also, hair growth on other parts of my body is also more than regular. Should this/Can this be used on Chest/Legs etc.?
Are there any side-effects of this?
Also, hair growth on other parts of my body is also more than regular. Should this/Can this be used on Chest/Legs etc.?
Are there any side-effects of this?
Brief Answer:
Alopecia is rare, Laser for other areas
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Though systemic absorption of the cream is very negligible and thus side effects like hairloss from scalp is rarely seen.
There is scarcity of data on the frequency of side effects as the drug is not much studied. Majority of the studies have shown that it can cause hairloss (alopecia) in 1.5-2% population, which personally I say is not much significant.
For chest and extremities, eflornithidine alone would be too weak to produce any gratifying results and thus laser hair removal would be best option for those areas. Even laser can be done over beard but the results might be patchy and irregular.
Long pulse Nd YAG or Diode laser will be the best lasers for your chest and other body areas.
Hope your queries are resolved and let me know if there are any doubts.
thank you
Dr Hardik Pitroda
Alopecia is rare, Laser for other areas
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Though systemic absorption of the cream is very negligible and thus side effects like hairloss from scalp is rarely seen.
There is scarcity of data on the frequency of side effects as the drug is not much studied. Majority of the studies have shown that it can cause hairloss (alopecia) in 1.5-2% population, which personally I say is not much significant.
For chest and extremities, eflornithidine alone would be too weak to produce any gratifying results and thus laser hair removal would be best option for those areas. Even laser can be done over beard but the results might be patchy and irregular.
Long pulse Nd YAG or Diode laser will be the best lasers for your chest and other body areas.
Hope your queries are resolved and let me know if there are any doubts.
thank you
Dr Hardik Pitroda
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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