Calling all Lashionistas
Max Factor was the first makeup artist to develop false eyelashes in 1919, reportedly made of human hair and to be worn by a lovely young starlet. Today, long, thick lashes are not just for the Hollywood set. Women everywhere can have gorgeous lashes just a prescription away. Allergan (the makers of Botox® Cosmetic) have released the first and only FDA-approved eyelash growth stimulator called Latisse
TM.
LatisseTM works by stimulating hair follicles in the resting stage to transition into the growth stage. It's like Rogaine for your lashes. The prescription comes in a box with a small dropper bottle and 60 disposable applicators. One drop is applied to the tip of the applicator, and then brushed over the skin at the base of the upper lashes, similar to how one would apply liquid eyeliner. The product is not meant for use on the lower lashes. Results should be apparent within two to four months of regular use and your eyelashes will revert to their normal length if use is discontinued.
The active ingredient in LatisseTM (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%) is a drug first approved by the FDA in 2001 as a treatment for glaucoma. The most common side effects include skin or eye irritation and dryness. Rare side effects include discoloration of the eyelid skin and permanent brown discoloration of the colored part of the eye. While the product works well, the disposable applicators are inexpensive and bulky, making it difficult to apply just to the lashline while limiting exposure to the surrounding skin. Some may want to substitute a fine, thin, soft brush such as a liquid liner or art brush, although the new brush must be kept clean to avoid risk of infection through contamination.
Some patients are using the product off-label to help regrow thin or overplucked eyebrows, however the safety and effectiveness of the product for use outside of the upper eyelashes has not been studied. It may also help regrow lashes in cancer patients and alopecia sufferers. It's possible Latisse could also be used at some future point in a formulation for scalp hair growth, though Allergan has yet to explore alternative indications. For now, lashionistas should stick to application on approved areas only (upper eyelashes). Visit http://www.latisse.com/ for before & after photographs more information.