Q: What are the pros and cons of Latisse?

Pros Clinical studies show that lashes gradually grow longer, thicker, and darker with consistent use. People report beginning to see longer lashes in as little as four weeks, with maximum lash growth at 16 weeks. Although you’ll first need to see a doctor to get a prescription, it’s an easy at-home treatment you can apply yourself. You can buy Latisse through the practice or through an online telemedicine site. Generic versions available at the same concentration are FDA approved. Cons If you stop using it, lashes return to their normal state, so continued results require continuous use. Possible side effects include itching, redness, and eye irritation. To help avoid this, most providers recommend starting slowly, using Latisse only every couple of days before increasing to daily use. If your eyes become irritated, use less of the product, less frequently, until your symptoms resolve. It’s possible for eyelid skin to become darker while using Latisse, though skin returns to its normal color within weeks of discontinuing use. To avoid this side effect, wipe off excess product so it touches only the lash line, not any surrounding skin. Patients with a history of eyelid inflammation (blepharitis) and dry eye syndrome may see dry eye symptoms increase. Bimatoprost can cause a brown discoloration of the iris when it’s used directly in the eye for glaucoma. This pigmentation change is unlikely to occur with the application of Latisse to the lashline, but it’s still considered a risk.

Question 1

What is Latisse?

Accepted Answer

What is Latisse?

Latisse is an eyelash serum that boosts hair growth for longer, thicker, fuller lashes. Researchers believe its active ingredient, bimatoprost, prolongs lashes’ natural growth phase so they grow longer, more quickly. In one manufacturer study, participants who used this serum saw 25% longer, 106% thicker, and 18% darker eyelashes after 16 weeks, compared to a control group who didn’t use it.

Because Latisse can supercharge the growth phase of any hair, it’s also commonly used to grow thicker eyebrows.

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Because Latisse can supercharge the growth phase of any hair, it’s also commonly used to grow thicker eyebrows.

Question 2

What are the pros and cons of Latisse?

Accepted Answer

Pros

Clinical studies show that lashes gradually grow longer, thicker, and darker with consistent use.
People report beginning to see longer lashes in as little as four weeks, with maximum lash growth at 16 weeks.
Although you’ll first need to see a doctor to get a prescription, it’s an easy at-home treatment you can apply yourself. You can buy Latisse through the practice or through an online telemedicine site.
Generic versions available at the same concentration are FDA approved.

Cons

If you stop using it, lashes return to their normal state, so continued results require continuous use.
Possible side effects include itching, redness, and eye irritation. To help avoid this, most providers recommend starting slowly, using Latisse only every couple of days before increasing to daily use. If your eyes become irritated, use less of the product, less frequently, until your symptoms resolve.
It’s possible for eyelid skin to become darker while using Latisse, though skin returns to its normal color within weeks of discontinuing use. To avoid this side effect, wipe off excess product so it touches only the lash line, not any surrounding skin.
Patients with a history of eyelid inflammation (blepharitis) and dry eye syndrome may see dry eye symptoms increase.
Bimatoprost can cause a brown discoloration of the iris when it’s used directly in the eye for glaucoma. This pigmentation change is unlikely to occur with the application of Latisse to the lashline, but it’s still considered a risk.

Question 3

How much does Latisse cost?

Accepted Answer

You’ll need two or three bottles to see your lashes in full effect. After that, you can use it less often to maintain your results.

Because Latisse is considered cosmetic, it will not be covered by insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare.

See our complete guide to Latisse costs

Question 4

Is Latisse safe?

Accepted Answer

Approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008, Latisse is considered safe. Its active ingredient, bimatoprost, mimics hormonelike compounds involved in the body’s healing response. Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution and similar drugs have been widely used and considered safe for the treatment of glaucoma and eye pressure in the United States since 1996. Patients noticed that a side effect of their glaucoma eye drops (marketed under the name Lumigan) was eyelash growth, which led to the use of bimatoprost in hair-growth serums.

Latisse is available only by prescription, but Dr. Kamakshi Zeidler, a plastic surgeon in Campbell, California notes that “many doctors offer virtual consults and e-commerce transactions—which is nice during these times and also great for busy people who just don’t have the time to stop in for a consult, quick as it may be.” Consultations rule out any eye conditions that would make it unsafe to use. Your provider will also make recommendations on how to use it for the best results (with minimal side effects).

Don’t use Latisse if you have a stye, infection, macular edema, swelling, degeneration of the eye, or an artificial lens. If you’re allergic to prostaglandin, you’re not a good candidate for it either. The FDA hasn’t approved its use for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, giving it a “Category C” rating which means it caused adverse effects in animal studies but hasn’t yet been tested on humans.

It’s also not safe to use expired serum on your eyes, “even if the bottle hasn't been opened,” says Dr. Julia Ann Sullivan Miller, an ophthalmologist in Edison, New Jersey. “Medicines and other chemicals in them degrade over time. They can lose their potency or become other forms of chemicals that [may have adverse] effects.”

If you have any eye redness, loss in vision, swelling, itchiness, or complications related to the product, contact your dermatologist or eye doctor immediately.

Question 5

How do you use Latisse?

Accepted Answer

Latisse should be applied daily. It’s typically recommended to use it as part of your nighttime routine, after you’ve washed off any makeup, sweat, or oil and taken out contact lenses.

You can wear mascara and any other eye makeup products you regularly use during the day, and apply Latisse to clean lashes at night.

This eyelash-growth serum comes in a dropper bottle, with sterile single-use applicator brushes. You place one drop on the applicator brush and sweep it across the skin of the upper lash line, at the very base of your lashes, as close as possible but not actually on the hairs themselves—you want it to reach the follicles. Then you repeat the same process with a different applicator brush for the other eye. The applicators should be discarded after each use to prevent the spread of bacteria and possible infection.

Take care not to get any excess Latisse in or around your eye, or on the lower lid, as this could result in irritation or eyelid skin darkening. Use blot around the eyes with tissue to prevent this from happening. It’s also important not to touch the tip of the bottle or applicator brush to other objects, surfaces, or fingers, to avoid contamination.

Latisse is for the upper eyelid only — not for the lower eyelashes, due to the risk of their curling into your eyes.

RealSelf Tip: Latisse works well for eyelash hypotrichosis (an inadequate amount of lash growth), but the 2010 study Bimatoprost in the Treatment of Eyelash Hypotrichosis from Clinical Ophthalmology April says it isn’t proven to help reverse eyelash alopecia (a condition where hair follicles are attacked by your immune system).

Question 6

How long does it take for Latisse to work?

Accepted Answer

Longer, fuller lashes are typically seen after two to four months of consistent use. Some people notice changes in as little as a month.

If your lashes have been pulled out by the root or fallen out, it will take longer to regrow them. “Latisse will prolong the length of time lash hairs are in the growth cycle, but they must be in the growth cycle first,” says Dr. Nasrin Mani, a La Jolla, California, plastic surgeon, in a RealSelf Q&A.

If you miss a dose or two, you can continue to apply the product and still see results. “Missing applications of Latisse won’t cause any negative effects, but continuing to forget applications can cause results to plateau,” says Dr. Nick Slenkovich, a plastic surgeon in Littleton, Colorado. “I suggest just picking up where you left off and continuing to apply it to the lash line each night before bed. Many people think they can catch up on applications, but applying more than you need can actually cause the opposite effect. Try to keep yourself regimented each day and you will start to see improvements in five or six weeks!”

The bottom line is that Latisse requires a bit of patience and discipline. Some RealSelf members who rated it ‘Not Worth It’ felt it took too long or didn’t have a dramatic enough effect. Many others found their results well worth the wait.

Question 7

Can you use Latisse on your eyebrows?

Accepted Answer

Latisse isn’t FDA-approved for brows, but Dr. Benjamin Barankin, a Toronto plastic surgeon, says in a RealSelf Q&A that many of his patients have used it off-label “with excellent results.” If you have thin brows and prefer the Cara Delevingne look, Latisse can probably set you on your way.

Question 8

Can you use Latisse on your hairline?

Accepted Answer

Latisse can also be used for a thinning hairline or on the scalp. “People are using it on their hairline for hairline thickening, especially women with menopausal or hormone/stress-induced hair loss on the temples and frontal hairline,” says Dr. Jason Emer, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles. “This is an off-label use, combined with PRP. Even men use this on their beard, if they do not have a full thick beard.”

Question 9

Can you use Latisse along with lash extensions?

Accepted Answer

Many people have noticed that lash extensions cause their eyelashes to thin or fall out, so lash technicians and dermatologists often recommend using Latisse prior to an extension appointment. Those who start the product early find that their fallout rate is lower. Plus, with new growth from Latisse, you’ll have more lashes on which to attach extensions, allowing for a fuller effect.

You can also use Latisse along with a lash lift for more dramatic results.

RealSelf Tip: Latisse is the same product as Lumigan (also manufactured by Allergan), but Lumigan is prescribed for glaucoma and administered differently. “If you use insurance to cover Lumigan but do not have glaucoma, you might be accused of fraud,” warns Dr. Sullivan Miller.

Question 10

Is Latisse permanent?

Accepted Answer

Latisse is not a permanent solution for longer eyelashes. You’ll need to commit to applying the product for as long as you want your enhanced lashes to last. Once you stop using it, your lashes will return to their original length within a few months.

Once you’ve achieved the lashes you want, you may be able to decrease your use to maintain them. “Some patients, once they achieve the length and fullness that they like, reduce their use to every other day, with good results,” says Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila S. Nazarian in a RealSelf Q&A.

Question 11

What are the alternatives to Latisse?

Accepted Answer

A lash lift curls and enhances your natural lashes. The simple procedure uses a chemical solution similar to what’s used when perming hair, fixing the lashes upward by soaking them in the solution.
Lash extensions give you temporary volume and curl, but they’re finicky and can be pricey. An initial set takes two hours to have applied and can cost $200–350. You’d also need biweekly fills, which take approximately an hour and cost $75–125, depending upon how much eyelash length and volume you want..
False eyelashes are a temporary, affordable solution. The effect can be dramatic, but lashes last for only a day and application can be tedious. The glue may also rip out your own lashes.
Over-the-counter eyelash serums from various cosmetic companies have exploded onto the market, claiming to grow thicker, fuller lashes—but because they don’t require FDA approval, they haven’t been studied as extensively as Latisse has.

“The majority of the over-the-counter lash products are conditioners and contain antioxidants, growth factors, and peptides to help the appearance of the hair (darker, stronger, longer) but do not regrow hairs” like Latisse does, explains Dr. Emer.

Related: Eyelash Growth Serums: Experts Explain How They Work and How to Choose the Best One

Question 12

Sources & studies

Accepted Answer

Jones, D., Enhanced Eyelashes: Prescription and Over-the-Counter Options (2011)

Law, S., Bimatoprost in the Treatment of Eyelash Hypotrichosis (2010)

Smith S., Fagien S., Whitcup S.M., Eyelash growth in subjects treated with bimatoprost: a multicenter, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study (2012)

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Kamakshi Zeidler, MD

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