In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine
must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision
you and your doctor will make. For eflornithine, the following
should be considered:
Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever
had any unusual or allergic reaction to eflornithine. Also tell
your health care professional if you are allergic to any other
substances or topical medications.
Pregnancy—Studies with eflornithine have not
been done in pregnant women. In animal studies, when taken by
mouth, eflornithine has been shown to cause birth defects or other
problems. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, discuss
with your doctor whether you should use this medicine during
pregnancy.
Breast-feeding—It is not known whether
eflornithine passes into breast milk. Mothers who are taking this
medicine and wish to breast–feed should discuss this with their
doctor.
Children—There is no specific information
comparing use of eflornithine in children under the age of 12
years with use in other age groups. However, this medicine is not
expected to cause different side effects or problems in older
children than it does in adults.
Older adults—This medicine has been tested
and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems
in older people than it does in younger adults.
Other medicines—Although certain medicines
should not be used together at all, in other cases two different
medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.
In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other
precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional
if you are using any other topical prescription or nonprescription
(over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine that is to be applied to the
same area of the skin.
This medicine comes with a patient instruction sheet. Read this
sheet carefully and follow the directions. If you have any
questions on how to use this medicine, be sure to ask your health
care professional.
This medicine is usually used on the face and nearby involved
areas under the chin only. Do not get the medicine in your eyes,
nose, or mouth. Rinse thoroughly with water and contact your
doctor if the medicine gets in the eyes
You need to continue your normal hair removal procedures while
using this medicine, and the medicine should be applied at least
five minutes after the unwanted hair has been removed. You should
wait until the medicine dries before applying cosmetics or
sunscreen.
Do not wash the treated areas for at least 4 hours after
applying the medicine.
Dosing—
The dose of eflornithine will be different for different
patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the
label. The following information includes only the average
dose of eflornithine. If your dose is different, do not change
it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
 | For topical dosage form (cream):
| For reduced rate of facial hair growth in women.
| Adults and children 12 years of age or older—Coat
the problem areas on the face and nearby areas under
the chin with the medicine two times a day with the
second treatment coming at least eight hours after the
first.
| Children under 12 years of age—Use and dose must
be determined by your doctor. |
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Missed dose—
If you forget or miss a dose of this medicine, apply it as soon
as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose,
skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.
Do not double doses.
Storage—
To store this medicine:
| Keep out of the reach of children.
| Store away from heat and direct light.
| Store at 15°C–30°C (59°F–86°F) .
| Keep the medicine from freezing..
| Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of
children. |
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If skin irritation occurs, reduce the frequency of treatments.
If irritation continues, stop using the medicine and contact your
doctor.
If no improvement is seen after six months of treatment, stop
using the medicine and contact your doctor.
If condition gets worse while you use the medicine, stop the
medicine and contact your doctor.
