What Your Doctor May Not Be Telling You About Latisse
Americans spend a LOT of money on cosmetics and treatments to improve their appearance and we all like to look our best. Some of these products are safe and some are less safe. You will want to be careful about any drug that you use to improve your appearance.
What is Latisse? What does Latisse do?
The FDA approved Latisse in 2008 to treat hypotrichosis of the eyelashes, a condition of abnormal hair loss or reduction. Latisse is a brand name of bimatoprost, an artificial prostaglandin sold by Allergan, Inc. that is used as a cosmetic eyelash enhancer. Prostaglandins are acids in the body which stimulate contraction of muscles in the body, have the ability to lower blood pressure, control inflammation and affect the actions of some hormones. Bimatoprost was previously approved by the FDA to be sold under the name Lumigan, for treatment of high eye pressure, also sold by Allergen, Inc.1
Does Latisse work?
Users of Latisse in online forums have reported satisfaction with Latisse and that it worked as promised.2 Subjects in multiple studies were observed to experience increased growth, thickness and darkening of eyelashes.3
What should I go over with my doctor before I decide to take Latisse?
Latisse is expensive and it does have some side effects.
Bimatoprost (Latisse) can cause darkening of the iris color and darkening of skin around the eye. Some patients in studies also experienced “Conjunctival hyperemia,” which means enlargement of the blood vessels in the cornea.4 Bimatoprost reduces pressure in the eye and may mask the development of glaucoma.5
The FDA sent Allergan a warning letter listing statements in their advertising which misrepresented or omitted required information describing Lattise side effects. Such side effects include possible unwanted hair growth outside the application area, irritated and itchy eyes, allergic reactions and “the potential for disparity between eyes in length, thickness, pigmentation, number of eyelashes or vellus hairs, and the direction of eyelash growth.” 6
What if I’m already taking Latisse?
You should never stop taking a prescription medication without talking to your doctor. Latisse presents less risks upon cessation than most medications. No withdrawal symptoms have been reported from Latisse. The effects of Latisse are temporary, increased eyelash growth will eventually stop after the last application of Latisse.7
Learn everything you can about Latisse before you start taking it.
Back to Article
1 Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Summary Minutes of the Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting (5 December 2009), http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/08/minutes/2008-4397m1-Final.pdf
2 Realself.com, Patient Forums, http://www.realself.com/Latisse/reviews
3 Law, S. Clin Ophthamol, vol. 4, “Bimatoprost in the treatment of eyelash hypotrichosis,” (2010) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861943/; Curran, MP, Drugs Aging, Bimatoprost: a review of its use in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension,” (2009) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19929032
4 Law, S. Clin Ophthamol, vol. 4, “Bimatoprost in the treatment of eyelash hypotrichosis,” (2010) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861943/
5 McCarthy K, Consumer News, “Drug promises fuller lashes, but at what cost?” (5 March 2009), http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2009/03/drug-promises-fuller-lashes-but-at-what-cost.html
6 Letter from the Food and Drug Administration, Dept of Health and Human Services (10 September 2009) http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/EnforcementActivitiesbyFDA/WarningLettersandNoticeofViolationLetterstoPharmaceuticalCompanies/UCM182628.pdf
7 http://www.latisse.com/RealQuestionsRealAnswers.aspx