Latisse Eyelash Enhancer Enters Marketplace

Last month, the FDA approved Allergan's accidentally discovered eyelash-enhancing drug, Latisse. What started out as a clinical trial for a known glaucoma treatment turned out to have a highly desired side-effect - significantly longer eyelashes.

When the glaucoma eyedrop known as Lumigan entered its third phase of clinical trials, Allergan researchers noticed the drug's eyelash-enhancing effects and the company soon started considering the cosmetic applications that could be derived from it's active ingredient, bimatoprost.

Many drugs find their way to the market in a similar way. Viagra (or Sildenafil) was originally studied as a treatment for angina and hypertension. Botox was first used to treat nerve spasms around the eye, and the body-trimming drug Melanotan II was originally developed to protect against skin cancer.

Applied to the base of the lashes, Latisse keeps hairs in their growth phase, producing longer, darker and thicker eyelashes. It contains a smaller amount of bimatoprost than Lumigan, and doctors say that quantity is just fine for regular use. It might be worth noting that the effects of Latisse are not permanent. Lashes return to normal after the patient stops using Latisse, and at a cost of $120/month, consumers may hesitate a bit.

Still, non-permanent, non-invasive treatments have been very trendy in the current economic climate. Latisse could prove to be a real winner, even though it never 'intended' to be.

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