Eyelash Medicine

There is a lot of buzz about the newest cosmetic eye treatment: eyelash medicine.

It has been said that the eyes are the window to the soul. If that is true, then one can argue that eyelashes are that window's natural frame. For years, men and women have used eye makeup ranging from shadows to liners to mascara. Now there is even a medicine to help grow eyelashes.

History

Mascara has been used to give the impression of longer, thicker and fuller eyelashes for around two hundred years. While these goals were not the original purpose for the drug known as Lumigan or Bimatoprost, they proved to be desirable side effects. Lumigan originally treated glaucoma, a condition that results in damage to the optic nerve, by reducing pressure in the eye. However, patients began to notice that it also created longer and fuller lashes. Now sold as a cosmetic medicine under the name of Latisse, consumers can obtain a prescription for this medicine from their doctors to improve the appearance of their eyelashes.

Benefits

Allergan, the company that developed Latisse for cosmetic use, held a clinical trial to test the product on 280 volunteers. According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), which approves medications such as Latisse for public use, subjects experienced an increase of eyelash length by 25 percent and an increase in thickness by 106 percent. The results also show that test subject's eyelashes appeared 18 percent darker.

Usage

According to their website, consumers should use Latisse once nightly. The website instructs consumers to remove contact lenses as well as any eye makeup before applying the product. Users must then squeeze one drop of product onto the disposable applicator from the bottle and run the applicator along the upper eyelash line, from the inner to outer eye. Users can blot any excess product with a tissue and should dispose of the applicator after one use. Users can reinsert contacts 15 minutes after application.

Considerations

Latisse can cost around $120 for a monthly dose, which is an average of about $4 per day (based on 2010 prices). Insurance companies do not usually cover cosmetic treatments and consumers would also need to pay for an appointment with their doctors to obtain the prescription.

Warning

Because it is a drug, Latisse is not without other, less desirable side effects. Patients using this drug may experience red and itchy eyes. Patients may also experience darkening of or a change in iris pigmentation.

References

• Beauty Secrets 101: Rimmel
• The New York Times: Love the Long Eyelashes. Who's Your Doctor?
• FDA: Division of Anti-Infective and Ophthalmology Products Advisory Committee Meeting Briefing Package
• Latisse: How to Apply