Longer Eyelashes?

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the prescription medication Bimatoprost, which was originally used as a treatment for glaucoma, to be sold under the name of Latisse, to promote longer, thicker darker eyelashes. The medication will be available by prescription only. Latisse gets applied along the upper eyelashes, while the glaucoma drug, Lumigan, was used as eyedrops. The change in eyelashes was observed as a side effect in patients using Lumigan.

Like most medications, Latisse has associated side effects, and anyone considering using this medication should be aware of them. Among the reported side effects are inflammation and redness of the eyes, pigmentation of the eyelashes, redness, irritation and pain of the eyelids, dryness of the eyes, swelling, pain, itching and of the eyeball as well as swelling visible inside the eye. It can cause increased pigmentation of the colored part of the eye, which is likely to be premanent. The medication can also cause increased hair growth in other areas which it contacts.
As with any other treatment, it's important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages before going forward.

Gerlad N. Bock MD
California Skin & Laser Center
Stockton & Lodi, CA