Constantly shaving or waxing your body or face to try to eliminate unwanted hair can be a frustrating and tedious experience. People who experience excessively rapid hair growth might suffer embarrassment over their appearance that can affect their overall self-esteem. While some people find that commercially available topical hair growth inhibitors reduce the rate of hair growth, other people do not find these products effective. By eating a healthy diet, taking some nutritional supplements, and consulting with your doctor for appropriate medications, you can reduce the rate and appearance of unwanted body and facial hair.

Topical Hair Growth Inhibitors

Try one of the over-the-counter (OTC) hair growth inhibitors available at most pharmacy and grocery stores. Hair growth inhibitors claim to work by changing the structure of the hair follicle until hair becomes softer and finer, and ultimately stops growing. Since the only hair growth inhibitor approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is the prescription medication Vaniqa, it can be difficult to determine the efficacy of most commercially available hair growth inhibitors. It is important to note that no data or studies exist that back up the effectiveness of any of these OTC topical hair growth inhibitors. If you decide to try one, you generally apply it after shaving, waxing or using a depilatory. Some depilatory creams even have hair growth inhibitors included in their formulations.

Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

Consider trying to slow your hair growth by boosting your overall nutrition and adding some supplements that might help reduce the male hormones, known as androgens, which are commonly responsible for rapid hair growth. Consume plenty of anti-oxidant foods such as blueberries, cherries, squash and bell peppers to help ensure strong overall health and regular skin cell renewal. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, taking 200 mg of Calcium-D-Glucarate twice a day might help your body detoxify itself of excessive androgens, which often means less hair growth. They also suggest that consuming 120 mg a day of the natural supplement Diindolylmethane (DIM) might help address any hormonal imbalance issues that lead to rapid or excessive hair growth.

Medications

Talk to your doctor about using prescription medications to slow your hair growth. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, doctors commonly prescribe birth control pills to treat hirsutism, excessive hair growth, since they can often decrease androgens in the body. Anti-androgen medications such as spironolactone and finasteride can slow the rate of hair growth, although they take from 3 to 6 months to work. These medications often carry strong side effects so talk to your doctor about whether the benefits outweigh the risks in your situation. Eflornithine (brand name: Vaniqa), a medication designed to slow the growth of facial hair, might also be an option if you suffer from excessive hair growth on your face. Keep in mind that if you decide to discontinue these medications, your hair is likely to return to its former growth patterns.

Source:

FamilyDoctor.org: Hirsutism (Excess Hair)

University of Maryland Medical Center: Hirsutism

Vaniqa

Resource:

Hair Facts: Hair Growth Inhibitors