Vaniqa

Special Issues Transgender / Transsexual
#1

Hi there, I’ve just managed to get a prescription from my GP for a relatively new drug by the name of Vaniqa. Now, I’m a male to female TS, and so I’m obviously looking towards a more permenant solution.

Vaniqa is supposed to slow the growth of facial hair over time, and reports I’ve read indicate it usually makes the hair a lot finer/weaker in the longer term (though normal growth will resume after a time when treatment is stopped).

What I’m wondering is whether or not there are any practitioners of electrolysis here who have experience of working with people using this medication, and can tell me how it may or may not aid the process of permenat removal through electrolysis in terms of the tie taken, and also in terms of the power settings required on the equipment.

#2

Hi Crimsone:

I am a M2F TS like yourself. I haven’t personally used vaniqua, but had thought about using it.

I haven’t for a couple of reasons.
One is that you will be dependent on using it all the time.
I believe it slows down the rate of growth, but probably so do anti androgens.

Secondly if it does make the hairs finer, then my electrolygist may have a harder time finding them
and treating them.

I believe that as natural a hair growth as possible is probably preferable for treatment with electrolysis.

Just my two cents. Good luck to you.

Alicia

#3

You are correct, AliciaDarling.

Thinner hairs would possibly pose different challenges to treatment, and one may have an easier time of it with the natural hairs.

I also found this on another board, and figured it was note worthy for us here:

Barbara Kieffer of Topeka Kansas writes:

Some individuals have an enzyme in their skin that is like a magnet to their normal circulating hormones. These individuals will grow hair in these areas. The areas seem to follow the pattern of the Ferriman and Gallwey hirsutism rating scale. The individuals with this enzyme will have coarsening of hair with the irritation of waxing. Individuals without this enzyme will see less hair with waxing. The people with this enzyme are the people who will see a product like Vaniqa work - IF they use it consistently, however, they can spend the same money on electrology treatments and REALLY get rid of the hair.

It would also seem that other people with excess hair growth have it for other reasons - not necessarily related to the enzyme. So again, we are faced with mysterious reasons for hair growth.