Combination Therapy of Laser Plus VANIQA for Treatment of Unwanted Facial Hair Provides Women With Quicker and More Complete Results
LEW ORLEANS, La. -- Feb. 18, 2005 -- SkinMedica, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company developing and marketing dermatology products, announced today results of two clinical studies that found the combination of laser hair removal with eflornithine HCL 13.9% cream (VANIQA®) to be a more compelling treatment for unwanted facial hair in women than laser hair removal alone. Dr. Valerie Callender and Dr. Michael Gold will each present their findings at the 63rd Annual American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) meeting this weekend. VANIQA, a topical prescription cream, is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of unwanted facial hair growth in women.
In a retrospective study summarized in a poster entitled "Combination Laser and Eflornithine HCL 13.9% Cream: A First-Line Therapy for Fitzpatrick Type IV-VI Patients With Excessive Facial Hair,"
Dr. Callender noted that recent advances in laser technology have improved the ability of dermatologists to treat patients with Fitzpatrick type IV-VI skin, however laser hair removal only produces the permanent reduction of terminal hair. According to Dr. Callender's findings, laser hair removal in combination with VANIQA, which affects both terminal and vellus hair, demonstrated significantly improved results compared with using laser alone. The use of VANIQA in combination with laser was found to be optimal for patients with skin of color where disease presentation is often further complicated by pseudofolliculitis barbae and/or postinflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by shaving, plucking and other methods of hair management.
"Eighty percent of my patients are women of color, and those with unwanted facial hair often struggle with rudimentary methods of hair removal, which compounds their problem. Laser hair removal in combination with VANIQA should be a first-line therapy for patients with excessive facial hair as it provides quicker and more complete results compared with laser alone," said Dr. Valerie Callender of the Callender Skin & Laser Center in Mitchellville, Maryland.
Also at AAD, Dr. Michael Gold presented a poster entitled "Eflornithine Hydrochloride 13.9% Cream: A Retrospective Clinical Review," and highlighted findings indicating the combination of VANIQA with laser therapy offers the most compelling treatment choice. His experience suggests that patient compliance and outcome are enhanced, and patients appear more willing to complete an adequate treatment course, and undergo long-term maintenance therapy, when both laser and VANIQA are used.
"Our research indicates that combination therapy with VANIQA and laser hair removal is the most effective way to manage unwanted facial hair," said Dr. Michael Gold of the Gold Skin Care Center, Nashville, Tennessee. "We've found that VANIQA typically yields results in as little as eight weeks, with noticeable improvement experienced through 24 weeks of use, so it's important for women to remain committed to their treatment regimen in order to achieve maximum results."
Unwanted facial hair is a common dermatological condition that affects more than 41 million U.S. women of all ages, races and backgrounds. More than half of the women living with unwanted facial hair are forced to treat the problem on a weekly basis, and 45% believe the condition has a serious effect on their self esteem. The actual causes of unwanted facial hair are diverse and include hormonal disorders, drug side effects, ethnic variability and age-dependent changes, among others.
About VANIQA
VANIQA is indicated for the reduction of unwanted facial hair in women and works by blocking an enzyme necessary for hair growth. The product has been shown to retard the rate of hair growth in non-clinical and clinical studies. VANIQA has only been studied on the face and adjacent involved areas under the chin of affected individuals. Usage should be limited to these areas of involvement. In controlled trials, VANIQA provided clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in the reduction of facial hair growth around the lips and under the chin for nearly 60% of women using VANIQA. VANIQA is not a hair remover but complements other current methods of hair removal such as electrolysis, shaving, depilatories, waxing, and tweezing. The patient should continue to use hair removal techniques as needed in conjunction with VANIQA. Improvement in the condition may be noticed within four to eight weeks of starting therapy. Continued treatment may result in further improvement and is necessary to maintain beneficial effects. The condition may return to pre-treatment levels within eight weeks following discontinuation of treatment. If no results are seen in six months, use of VANIQA should be discontinued. The most frequent adverse events related to treatment with VANIQA were skin-related adverse events. For full prescribing information, visit www.vaniqa.com.
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About SkinMedica
SkinMedica is a privately held pharmaceutical company marketing both prescription and aesthetic dermatology products. SkinMedica's Desonate® (desonide) Gel 0.05% is indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis; EpiQuin® Micro (4% hydroquinone) cream is indicated for melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation; VANIQA® (eflornithine hydrochloride) Cream, 13.9%, is the only FDA-approved prescription product for the treatment of unwanted facial hair in women; and NeoBenz® Micro Cream and NeoBenz® Micro SD (single dose) are the only benzoyl peroxide prescription products that contain a patented gradual-release formulation of benzoyl peroxide to treat acne. The company's full line of physician-dispensed skin care products includes TNS Recovery Complex® with NouriCel-MD® to help improve the health and appearance of aging skin. SkinMedica is based in Carlsbad, California. For more information, visit www.skinmedica.com.
SkinMedica®, Desonate®, EpiQuin® Micro, NeoBenz® Micro, NouriCel-MD®, TNS Recovery Complex®, and VANIQA® are registered trademarks of SkinMedica, Inc.
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