Latisse Approved for Longer Eyelashes Available 2009 by Prescription

Beginning 2009, Latisse, the newest addition to eyelash enhancement, will be available to women for longer, thicker and darker eyelashes. Allergan, the company that makes Latisse, has capitalized on their glaucoma eye drops, Lumigan, after discovering that the active ingredient promoted longer eyelashes. As seen by the video below, some physicians have used Lumigan "off label" to help women experience the benefits of the newly approved Latisse, which contains the active ingredient in Lumigan.

According to Allergan, "Latisse users can expect to experience longer, fuller, and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks." However, longer eyelashes from Latisse might also cause some problems, such as darkening of the eyelids, which may or may not go away. Should you accidentally apply Latisse to an area other than the upper eyelid, at the lash line, you might find yourself with hair growth in undesirable areas. In addition, it is possible to experience irregular eyelash growth. Once you stop using it, your eyelashes will return to their normal state. Side effects of Latisse included itchy eyes, and eye redness.

Latisse may be a boon to those who experience hair loss from chemotherapy during cancer treatment, but so far Latisse is not recommended for children or cancer patients until further studies are conducted.

Lumigan, the drug that spawned the development of Latisse, has been found to darken the iris, leading to brown eyes. The color change may take months to occur, but once it occurs, it is not reversible. Latisse does not go directly in the eye, and trials did not report any changes in eye color when using Latisse cosmetically for eyelash growth, but a warning that eye color changes may occur accompanies use of Latisse.

You will not be able to purchase Latisse over the counter. Instead, it will require a prescription from your doctor or cosmetic surgeon.

Latisse was unanimously approved by the FDA. According to Scott Whitcup, M.D., Allergan's Executive Vice President of Research and Development, "LATISSE(TM) fulfills a significant and previously unmet need in the medical aesthetic marketplace with a product approved by the FDA that increases the growth of eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker."

Scientists are not exactly sure how Latisse works to promote eyelash beauty, but the active ingredient, Bimatoprost, is a lipid compound that binds with prostaglandins, found in the outer layer, or sheath, of the hair root.

Sales of Latisse are expected to top $500 million annually, as women flock to the pharmacy for the experience of longer, thick eyelashes.

Source: Allergan Announces U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approval of LATISSE(TM) -- First and Only Treatment Approved by the FDA for Hypotrichosis of Eyelashes

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Latisse Approved for Longer Eyelashes Available 2009 by Prescription