Efanid Cream

Efanid Cream belongs to a class of drugs called hair growth retardant used to treat unwanted excess growth of facial hair (facial hirsutism) in women. It is also used to treat African sleeping sickness, a disease caused by protozoa. Facial hirsutism is a condition in women that results in develops excessive hair growth on the face. Unwanted facial hair in women can be a cosmetic problem and may produce emotional distress and mental trauma.

Efanid Cream contains Eflornithine is an ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitor that works by blocking a natural substance ornithine decarboxylase (an enzyme in the body involved in the production of hair) that stimulates hair growth and is located in the hair follicle (the sac where each hair grows). Efanid Cream is also used to treat African sleeping sickness (a disease caused by parasite infection).

Use Efanid Cream as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to use Efanid Cream for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you based on your medical condition. Some people may experience acne, burning sensation, itching, scaling, skin dryness, mild tingling sensation or tenderness at the application site, bleeding, sore throat, and fever. Most of these side effects of Efanid Cream do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.

If you are allergic to Efanid Cream or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or a breastfeeding mother, it is advised to consult a doctor before using Efanid Cream. Efanid Cream is not recommended for use in children below 12 years.  Inform your doctor if you have acne, anemia, or other blood problems, hearing loss and kidney or liver problems before using Efanid Cream. Do not apply Efanid Cream on sunburned, cuts, grazes and broken skin. Besides this let your doctor know if you use any prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking, including vitamins, before starting Efanid Cream.  

Efanid Cream contains Eflornithine used to slow the growth of unwanted hair on the face in women, usually around the lips or under the chin. It works by blocking a natural substance ornithine decarboxylase (an enzyme in the body involved in the production of hair) that stimulates hair growth and is located in the hair follicle (the sac where each hair grows). Efanid Cream slows hair growth and may also make the hair finer and lighter. It does not remove hair or cause the hair to fall out. Besides this, Efanid Cream also used to treat African sleeping sickness, a disease caused by protozoa (Trypanosoma brucei).

• Acne
• Itching
• Skin redness
• Hair loss
• Burning sensation
• Stinging sensation
• Irritation
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Dizziness

Do not use Efanid Cream if you are allergic to Efanid Cream or inactive ingredients (such as methylparaben), which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. It is essential to let your doctor know if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or a breastfeeding mother before using Efanid Cream. Please inform your doctor if you are using any prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking, including vitamins, before starting Efanid Cream. Do not apply Efanid Cream on the irritated and sunburned skin, cuts graze, and broken skin. Let your doctor know if you have had acne, liver, or kidney problems before using Efanid Cream. Before you apply cosmetics or sunscreen wait until Efanid Cream dries completely. Do not wash the treatment areas for at least 4 hours after using Efanid Cream. Before using Efanid Cream you should wait for 5 minutes after using your current method of hair removal. This medicine may take 4-6 weeks or longer before you see the full benefit. Do not stop applying Efanid Cream without informing your doctor. Stopping the use of this medicine will resume hair growth. If you do not see any improvement after using it for 4 months contact your doctor. Efanid Cream is not a depilatory (hair remover) cream, so you may need to continue with your hair removal methods like shaving or plucking.

Drug-Drug Interactions: No interaction found.

Drug-Food Interactions: No interaction found.

Drug-Disease Interactions: Before using Efanid Cream, let your doctor know if have acne on your face, a blood disorder, hearing disorder, liver and kidney diseases.

• Manage stress, eat healthily, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and sleep peacefully. 
• A mixture of gram flour, turmeric, and curd marginally reduced hair growth. Apply this mixture on the face and rinse it after it dries.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, your body may make fewer male hormones.
• Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen while going out to protect your skin from sunburn.
• Regular exercise can improve your mood and self-esteem though it doesn’t clear acne. Take a shower immediately after finishing exercise as sweat may irritate acne.
• Remove the make-up completely before going to bed.
• Avoid or limit the intake of alcohol and caffeine.

Consult your dermatologist if you do not notice any improvement after 4 months of treatment with Efanid Cream.

Facial hirsutism: It is a condition in women that results in develops excessive hair growth on the face. It may be caused by an increase in levels of androgen (male hormone), menopause-related hormone changes and the most common cause is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (a hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges) or if you take medicines that can induce hair growth like cyclosporine (following organ transplants), glucocorticoids (against rheumatic or allergic diseases), minoxidil (against high blood pressure), etc. Unwanted facial hair in women can be a cosmetic problem and may produce emotional distress and mental trauma.

African sleeping sickness: It is a disease caused by the infection of a parasite called Trypanosoma brucei. It is transmitted to humans by tsetse fly bites. The tsetse flies are found only in rural Africa. Symptoms include fever, severe headaches, irritability, extreme fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and aching muscles and joints.