The marketplace is filled with creams, lotions, and sprays with implied claims for hair – growth reduction. From the regulatory perspective, any product with explicit claims of hair – growth reduction or inhibition falls under the ‘drug’ category, requiring substantial demonstration of efficacy and safety, and approval from the FDA for marketing. The cosme- ceutical products, for example, hair minimization, bypass the regulatory requirements by carefully worded claims that imply effects on hair growth. These products are similar to the OTC antiwrinkle creams that claim to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
There is no convincing scientific evidence in the form of published clinical data in a peer – reviewed journal that would supports the hair-reduction claims made by most OTC products in this category. In fact, these products often claim that repeated use makes hair feel softer, finer, and less noticeable, thereby reducing the frequency with which one needs to shave. Examples of marketed products include Jergens Naturally Smooth Shave Minimizing Moisturizer, Curel Shave Minimizing Moisturizer, Biore Beyond Smooth Daily Facial Moisturizer, Kalo Hair Inhibitor, Epil-Stop, St. Ives Smooth Legs Shave Minimizing Moisturizer For Dry Skin, Suave Advanced Smoothing Lotion Shave Minimizing Formula, King of Shaves Women Vanish Hair Minimizing Spritz, and Aveeno Positively Smooth Moisturizing Lotion. A number of topical herbal preparations can also be found on the internet and in infomercials on television, often with misleading and false information on the effectiveness of the marketed products.