Eflora Cream

Eflora Cream is an eflornithine hydrochloride 13.9% cream for unwanted facial hair in women, made in India by Sun Pharma. It contains the same active ingredient, at the same stated strength, as Vaniqa, the brand first approved in the US in 2000. Eflornithine blocks ornithine decarboxylase, an enzyme involved in the production of the hair shaft by the hair follicle (UK label 5.1). Eflora does not remove hair. It slows regrowth, so most women keep shaving, plucking or threading while they use it. The carton and tube in our product photo show a 15 g pack, and we sell 1, 3 or 6 tubes, from $27.71 a tube in the 6 tube order.

This page covers what eflornithine cream does and does not do, how to apply it, what the two Vaniqa trials found, the side effects, the pregnancy and breastfeeding rules (which differ between the US and UK labels), why excess facial hair should be checked by a doctor first, and the price per tube. Clinical figures come from the US Vaniqa prescribing information and the UK Vaniqa label, listed at the end. Eflora itself has not been tested in a separate published trial that we could find.

Eflora Cream at a glance

Price per tube

Prices below are as of October 2026; the pack selector shows the current price. Per gram figures assume the 15 g tube shown in our product photo.

The 3 and 6 tube orders are cheaper per tube before shipping. Only the 6 tube order crosses the $149 free shipping line, so a single tube costs much more per gram once the $25 shipping is added.

How long a tube lasts. The labels do not say how much cream to use each time, only a thin layer. In the US label's absorption study, women with unwanted facial hair applied 0.5 g twice a day (1 g a day), and the UK label says doses of up to 30 g a month were used safely in the trials. At 1 g a day a 15 g tube would last about 15 days, so 3 tubes cover about six weeks and 6 tubes about three months. Women treating only the upper lip or chin will use less. This is our arithmetic from the study amount, not a label figure. The UK label also says to throw away an opened tube after 6 months, so there is no point opening several tubes at once.

We also sell Elyn Cream from Ajanta Pharma, another Indian eflornithine 13.9% cream, at $30 for 1 tube down to $23.96 a tube in the 6 tube order, before shipping. That is cheaper per tube than Eflora, but we have not confirmed the Elyn tube size, so compare the grams on the carton.

Compared with Vaniqa

In the US there is now no FDA approved eflornithine cream on the market that we could find: Drugs@FDA lists Vaniqa as discontinued and lists no generic eflornithine cream, and NADAC, the survey of what US pharmacies pay, has no eflornithine cream rows in 2026. We found no FDA notice giving a reason for the discontinuation, so we do not suggest one. One eflornithine cream (Florexa, from Pella Pharmaceuticals) appears on DailyMed, but its listing is marked "unapproved drug other", which means it is not FDA approved. If you live in the US, ask your doctor about the options available there, which may include a compounded cream on prescription.

In Australia, the TGA lists Vaniqa (ARTG 80167) as cancelled under section 30(1)(c) of the Therapeutic Goods Act. An Australian compounding pharmacy (Skin Plus) says it makes eflornithine cream to order on a doctor's prescription. In the UK and Canada, Vaniqa is licensed, so a prescription there is the regulated route.

Eflora and Vaniqa share the active ingredient and stated strength, but the ingredient lists of the two creams may differ, we have not seen the full list for the Indian pack, and we found no study that compares them.

Which product to choose

Eflornithine cream comes in one strength. There is no stronger or weaker version, and using it more than twice a day is not the label instruction. The two eflornithine creams we sell are:

Eflornithine treats the hair on the skin, not the cause of it. When excess hair comes from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), doctors may also use hormonal treatment. We sell Diane 35 (cyproterone acetate with ethinylestradiol), which in the UK is licensed for hirsutism in women of reproductive age but carries a blood clot risk and is a prescription medicine; it is a decision for your doctor, not a step up from the cream.

How to use Eflora Cream

1. Clean and dry the areas you will treat (UK label 4.2).
2. If you have just shaved or used another hair removal method, wait at least 5 minutes first. The UK label says applying it sooner may cause more stinging or burning; the US label says to apply it at least 5 minutes after hair removal.
3. Apply a thin layer to the affected areas of the face and the nearby affected areas under the chin, and rub it in thoroughly. The UK label says to rub it in until no cream is visible. Both labels say it was only studied on the face and under the chin, so use should be limited to these areas.
4. Use it twice a day, at least 8 hours apart (US and UK labels).
5. Do not wash the treated areas for at least 4 hours (US label; the UK label says "for maximal efficacy").
6. Wash your hands afterwards (UK label 4.2).
7. Make up and sunscreen can go on top once the cream has dried (US label), or no sooner than five minutes after applying it (UK label).
8. Keep it away from the eyes and the inside of the nose and mouth. If it gets in, rinse well with water (UK leaflet); the US leaflet adds to contact your doctor if it gets in your eyes.
9. Keep using your usual hair removal method as needed. The US label says it "is not a depilatory" and that patients will likely need to continue a hair removal method.
10. If you miss a dose: the UK leaflet says apply it straight away, but wait at least 8 hours before the next one. The US leaflet says do not try to make it up; return to your normal schedule as soon as you can.

If your skin gets irritated, both labels say to cut back to once a day for a while. If irritation continues, the US label says to stop, and the UK label says to stop and see the doctor. The US label says it is not known whether eflornithine cream interacts with other products applied to the skin, and the UK label says no interaction studies have been done. The US leaflet asks you to check with your doctor first if you use other prescription or non-prescription medicines or other facial or skin creams.

How long to keep going. The benefit lasts only while you use it: the UK label says continued treatment "is necessary to maintain beneficial effects". The UK label says to stop if no benefit is noticed within four months of starting; the US patient leaflet says to stop if no improvement is seen after 6 months. A doctor can tell you which limit applies to you.

What the trials found

Vaniqa was tested in two randomised, double blind trials in women who removed facial hair at least twice a week, treated twice daily for up to 24 weeks and compared with the plain cream (vehicle). Doctors graded the treated areas 48 hours after the women shaved. The US and UK labels report the combined results slightly differently, so we show each as printed:

Sources: US Vaniqa label, Clinical Trials (594 women in total); UK Vaniqa label 5.1 (596 women; women who stopped early had their last result carried forward to week 24). The US label counts "marked improvement or greater" as success: about 32% on Vaniqa against 8% on the plain cream. In our reading, that means about one woman in three got a marked result in 6 months, and most did not, so it is worth knowing before you start that the cream helps some women a lot and others little.

Who did better. The US label reports success in 37% of White women and 22% of non-White women (mostly Black women), against 5% of non-White women on the plain cream. The UK label gives 39% and 27%, and also 43% of women with a BMI under 30 against 29% of women with a BMI of 30 or more. About 12% of the women were postmenopausal; the US label gives 38% success in that group against 0% on the plain cream.

Timing. The US label says marked improvement was seen consistently at 8 weeks and continued through the 24 weeks, and hair growth approached pretreatment levels within 8 weeks of stopping. Women also reported being less bothered by their facial hair and spending less time removing or hiding it.

Side effects

Most side effects are on the skin and mild. The US label says they were primarily mild and generally went away without treatment or stopping the cream, and only 2% of women stopped the trials because of a side effect related to Vaniqa.

Selected rows from the US Vaniqa label adverse events table, which lists events above 1% and also includes dyspepsia, skin irritation, hair loss, dizziness, folliculitis, ingrown hair, facial swelling, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness and vertigo. Acne and shaving bumps were about as common on the plain cream. The UK label says burning, stinging, tingling, rash and redness were the effects reported more often with Vaniqa than with the plain cream. It lists acne as very common, and among its uncommon effects swelling of the face or mouth, cold sores, eczema, lip numbness, pale patches of skin and unusual hair texture or growth. The US label notes that in an open label study some women had a rise in liver enzymes (transaminases), of unknown clinical significance.

The UK label says the cream contains cetostearyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol, which may cause local skin reactions, and parabens, which may cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed). The US Vaniqa cream also contains parabens. We have not seen Eflora's full ingredient list, so check the carton if you react to any of these.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: the labels differ

• UK label: "women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy should use an alternative means to manage facial hair" (4.6), and "Women should not use Vaniqa whilst breastfeeding." The UK leaflet says: "Do not use Vaniqa if you are pregnant or breast-feeding."
• US label: because there are no adequate and well controlled studies in pregnant women, the risk and benefit "should be weighed carefully with serious consideration for either not implementing or discontinuing use". For breastfeeding, it is not known whether eflornithine passes into milk, and "Caution should be exercised".
• What is known: 19 pregnancies occurred while women were using Vaniqa in the trials: 9 healthy infants, 4 miscarriages, 5 elective abortions and 1 birth defect (Down syndrome, in a 35 year old mother). Animal studies showed harm to the fetus at high doses, without birth defects (US and UK labels).

Our advice: facial hair can wait. Do not use Eflora if you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding, and stop it and tell your doctor if you find you are pregnant.

When to stop and get help

• Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, or widespread hives: stop the cream and get urgent medical help. The US label says to discontinue use if hypersensitivity occurs; the urgent help step is our general safety advice.
• Irritation that continues after cutting back to once a day: stop and speak to a doctor (US and UK labels).
• Your hair growth gets worse during treatment: the US leaflet says stop and contact your doctor.
• If anyone swallows the cream: the UK leaflet says contact your doctor immediately. The US label says a 30 g tube contains 4.2 g of eflornithine hydrochloride and that the person should be monitored. Call a poison line (US 1-800-222-1222, Australia 13 11 26) or your local emergency number.

Who should not use Eflora

Never use it if (contraindication): you are allergic to eflornithine or any ingredient of the cream (US and UK labels).

The labels say not to use it, or to use another method:

• Pregnancy, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding (UK label and leaflet; see the section above for the US wording).
• Children and teenagers: the US label says safety and effectiveness are not established under 12, and the US leaflet says you should not use it if you are under 12. The UK label says safety and efficacy are not established from 0 to 18 years, and the UK leaflet says it is "not recommended for use in anyone younger than 18 years of age".
• Areas other than the face and under the chin: neither label covers other body areas.

Talk to a doctor first if you have kidney or liver problems (the UK label says safety has not been established, and advises caution in severe kidney impairment), or if your skin on the face is broken or grazed (the US label says stinging or burning may occur on abraded or broken skin; Apollo's listing says not to apply it to broken, sunburned, grazed or severely irritated skin).

Before you start: get the cause checked

The UK label warns that excessive hair growth "can result from serious underlying disorders (e.g. polycystic ovary syndrome, androgen secreting neoplasm)" or from medicines such as ciclosporin, glucocorticoids (steroids), minoxidil, phenobarbitone, phenytoin and combined oestrogen and androgen hormone replacement therapy. An androgen secreting neoplasm is a hormone producing tumour. In our view, a woman with new or worsening facial hair should see a doctor before treating it, and urgently if the hair growth is sudden or fast, or comes with a deeper voice, loss of scalp hair at the temples, missed periods or clitoral enlargement. Our guide to metformin for PCOS covers one common cause.

Prescription and legal status

Eflornithine cream is a prescription medicine in the UK (Vaniqa is a prescription only medicine in the NHS dictionary of medicines and devices) and in Canada (Health Canada Drug Product Database: prescription). In the US, Vaniqa was a prescription medicine (Rx only) before it was discontinued. In Australia, compounded eflornithine cream is supplied on a doctor's prescription. In India, Tata 1mg marks Eflora as prescription required and Apollo lists it as a prescription medicine. The Indian pack is not registered with the FDA, the MHRA, the TGA or Health Canada, and in the US the FDA says personal importation of unapproved medicines is illegal in most circumstances. See a doctor before you start, and check the rules where you live.

Buying genuine Eflora

The MHRA warns: "Any medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have." That warning covers this pack, which is not the one authorised in the UK, and the MHRA advises: "Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo". When your order arrives, check that the carton names Sun Pharma and shows eflornithine hydrochloride, the strength, the tube size, a batch number and an expiry date, and that the tube is sealed. These checks cannot prove a tube is genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If a tube causes unusual symptoms, stop using it, seek medical advice, and report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme, FDA MedWatch, the TGA or Health Canada, as well as to us.

Storage. The US label says store at 25 C, with short periods at 15 to 30 C allowed, and do not freeze. The UK label says do not store above 25 C, keep the cap tightly closed and throw away an opened tube after 6 months. Indian listings say store below 30 C (Tata 1mg), at 15 to 30 C (Apollo) or in a cool, dry place (PharmEasy). None of these says to refrigerate it.

Delivery

We ship Eflora Cream to the US, UK, Australia and Canada in plain packaging with tracking. Standard delivery takes 7 to 14 business days to most countries. Shipping costs a flat $25 on orders under $149 and is free from $149. See our shipping page and refund policy.

Related guides

• Metformin for PCOS: a treatment guide for women
• Diane-35 in the USA: what it treats, clot risk and US alternatives
• Is it safe to buy medicine online?

Other products for women with excess hair: Elyn Cream (eflornithine) and Diane 35 (prescription hormonal tablet).

Sources

• VANIQA (eflornithine hydrochloride) Cream, 13.9%, US prescribing information and patient information, Allergan USA, revised January 2018 (document 73326US11): Indications, Contraindications, Warnings, Precautions, Information for Patients, Pregnancy, Nursing Mothers, Pediatric Use, Dosage and Administration, How Supplied. AbbVie
• VANIQA cream, US label as listed on DailyMed (SkinMedica text, repackaged by Physicians Total Care), setid a2c3d206-b893-4f65-a2f6-c11fa9a0e486, version 1, published 20 September 2012: Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Trials, Adverse Reactions, Overdosage, Storage. DailyMed
• Vaniqa 11.5% cream, UK Summary of Product Characteristics and patient leaflet, Almirall, PLGB 16973/0041, text revised 4 May 2022 (sections 2, 4.1 to 4.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1 to 6.5). emc
• European Medicines Agency. Vaniqa EPAR: authorised, marketing authorisation granted 20 March 2001. EMA
• Drugs@FDA via openFDA: NDA 021145, Vaniqa cream 13.9%, original approval 27 July 2000, marketing status discontinued (checked 28 October 2026).
• DailyMed: Florexa (eflornithine hydrochloride) cream, Pella Pharmaceuticals, setid d0842c09-4f4f-5209-e053-2a95a90a54d6, marketing category "unapproved drug other".
• Health Canada Drug Product Database: Vaniqa, DIN 02243837, Cipher Pharmaceuticals, status marketed, schedule prescription.
• Therapeutic Goods Administration: VANIQA eflornithine hydrochloride 139mg/g cream tube, ARTG 80167, cancelled under section 30(1)(c). TGA
• Skin Plus Compounding Pharmacy. Eflornithine cream for facial hair: discontinued brand name Vaniqa in Australia.
• NHS Business Services Authority, dm+d: Vaniqa 11.5% cream, legal category POM.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) 2026 dataset: no rows for Vaniqa or eflornithine (queried 28 October 2026). data.medicaid.gov
• Indian pack details: Tata 1mg, PharmEasy and Apollo Pharmacy listings for Eflora Cream 15 g and 30 g, checked 28 October 2026; SafeRxPills product photo (15 g carton and tube).
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK.
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA

This page is for information and is not medical advice. Eflornithine cream is a prescription medicine; talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using it.