diminished body hair seems like a pretty great side effect to me!

March 3, 2012 7:56 PM

was this dude pulling my leg or is there really a skin cream for sensitive skin with the side effect of inhibiting hair growth?

about 15 years ago, I met a British man who had rather smooth legs (possibly arms too, but remember, this was some time ago) who claimed his smoothness was an odd side effect of his lotion. This lotion, I might add, wasn't available in the US at the time, though it could be now and I'm just oblivious. I also recall him saying he continued to use the lotion because it is the only thing that helped his sensitive skin. Well, I am also a rather sensitively skinned individual-- which happens to be why we were discussing this in the first place-- and have frequently tried to recall the name of the product to no avail. My sensitivity has actually increased over the years and I tend to get irritation from shaving my legs, but I daydream about finding this product and being able to solve my body hair and eczema issues simultaneously. I should point out, however, that I'm really not looking for suggestions for depilatories for sensitive skin. I mainly just want to know if there is one stone for my two birds.

So was this man truly using some miracle skin product, or do you think he actually shaved his legs but concocted this story for some crazy reason? If such a product does exist, would I need a prescription for it?

I live in the United States, but would probably have a way to get this product as long as it's either in the UK, Western Europe in general, or somewhere in North or South America. Or, you know, on the internet.

So, is this ringing any bells for anyone?

posted by CookieNose to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

I vaguely remember an OTC moisturizing lotion sold in the US at one point (maybe 5-10 years ago) which was supposed to diminish hair growth. (A quick google suggests it may have been Aveeno Positively Smooth, and there's also this list.) There is also the prescription cream Vaniqa. I don't think either of them claim to have results as dramatic as what you describe, though.
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:04 PM on March 3, 2012

Here's an extremely thorough answer. Some of these "discontinued" products are still available on eBay, but they're very $$$.
posted by acidic at 8:27 PM on March 3, 2012

Jergens is supposedly good for both. I haven't used it for long enough in one go to tell, though it was definitely effective in softening my skin.
posted by DoubleLune at 9:27 PM on March 3, 2012

Response by poster: I probably should have mentioned this in the post, but it wasn't a 'smoothing' lotion, and it definitely wasn't a familiar, readily available US brand. At the time, anyway, it was just a skin cream (I think otc but not positive) that had an odd side effect. but who knows, maybe the aforementioned products took a cue from this miracle product he had been using.

British Mefites, any thoughts?
posted by CookieNose at 8:23 AM on March 4, 2012

Vaniqa?
posted by trogdole at 12:06 PM on March 4, 2012

Response by poster: the top few side effects of vaniqa are actually skin irritation, redness, itchiness, etc. which was sort of the opposite of the product he had mentioned.

I think this might just have to remain an unsolved mystery...
posted by CookieNose at 12:12 PM on March 4, 2012

Was he an older man, by any chance? Men often have hair loss on their legs as they age, I think because of poor circulation. Maybe he was misattributing his hair loss to his lotion?
posted by MadamM at 12:19 PM on March 4, 2012

In the '70s, my dad spent seven years as a walking postman. He wore his socks high; the daily chafing stripped him clean up to his knees. The hair has never grown back.

Vigorous use of body stocking?
posted by fritillary at 12:37 PM on March 4, 2012