Revitalash Disclosure of Adverse Side Effects?

Question

I wonder if Revitalash, being a cosmetic product, is subject to the same amount of disclosure of adverse reactions as Latisse? Since they are essentially similar products, would Revitalash also have side effects of iris color change, except that they are not bound to disclose it due to the lesser regulation of the product?

Jeffrey J. Roth, MD, FACS · Answer

These are two different things.Revitalash is an eyelash conditioner that claims to make your lashes appear fuller, (think conditioner for your hair). It is not a medicine. It does not have FDA approval. As of this writing, there are no clinical, scientific trials published in a peer reviewed medical journal.Latisse consists of an established medicine that has been used for years to treat glacoma. They found some glaucoma patients had significant eyelash growth. Allergan configured it to be a topical medicine for eyelash growth. They went through the rigors of FDA approval. The science says that it keeps the lashes in growth phase. Clinical trials showed that it can lengthen eyelashes 25% and thicken them 106%, later with more use, and will darken them.  As of this writing there have been no reports of eye color change with Latisse.  When the glacoma medicine was placed in the eye, rarely someone with hazel eyes and brown spots would find their brown spots more brown.

Lorrie Klein, MD · Answer

Since only Bimatoprost (the active ingredient in Latisse) and other prescription prostaglandins (of which Bimatoprost is a type of) have been scientfically proven to to grow eyelashes, theoretically any eyelash product that actually works to grow eyelashes will have this prescription product in it. Revitalash, and previously Jan Marini's lash product had these prescription products in them, so they would have the same potential side effects as Latisse. But since they were selling their products as cosmetics, not revealing that their active ingredient as a prescription product, they were not disclosing these potential side effects. 
If Revitalash has removed all prostaglandins from their formulation, it will not have the same potential side effects as the prescription product Latisse, but it also will probably not work. Conversely, if it still stimulates eyelash growth, it probably still has one of these prostaglandins in it!
By the way, serious side effects for Latisse are rare and can usually be avoided.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Since Revitalash is not FDA approved, it is not subject to the same disclosure for side effects as Latisse is. 
With that said, we do not believe you will have the same type of side effects with Revitalash as with Latisse because the active ingredient in Latisse is no longer an ingredient in Revitalash. It was removed by the makers of Revitalash after a lawsuit with Allergan, the makers of Latisse. The two products are not similar.

Elizabeth Slass Lee, MD · Answer

You ask a great question. Revitalash is not regulated by the FDA as a medication and therefore not required to warn about side effects the way Latisse is. That does not mean that Revitalash is any safer to use, just that the consumer is not told of potential side effects. Since we have Latisse available, I no longer recommend Revitalash but stick with the FDA approved product.

Sandy Feldman, MD · Answer

Revitalash is a nonprescription product which is also used to enhance eyelashes. As the ingredient in Revitalash is unknown and its safety and efficacy has not been extensively studied, we cannot answer this question well.
Nonetheless, it is entirely possible that Revitalash does contain an active ingredient from a different source that can cause eyelash growth.

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

"Since they are essentially similar products" - NOT
The Revitalash you are referring to is No LONGER the same one on the market today. Athena Cosmetics Corp. (Henderson, Nevada), maker of RevitaLash along with several other companies unlawfully put the active ingredient in LUMIGAN and LATISSE (which are owned by Allergan) in the lash products. They were sued on 11/7/2007 and settled their suits on 7/11/2008 . NONE of these companies (Age Intervention Eyelash Conditioner, RevitaLash, MassiveLash, MD Lash Factor) contain the active ingredient which grows lashes.

Mitchell Schwartz, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Latisse is the only prescription solution that has been scientifically proven to stimulate the growth of eyelashes. I believe it to be much more effective than Revitalash, especially since Revitalash no longer contains the active ingredient found in Latisse. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that Latisse will change your eye color. The eye is exposed to a very small amount of Latisse even when it is properly applied as directed to the upper eyelid margin using the supplied applicator. This has been demonstrated by applying a colored dye to the eyelid margin and watching its migration. Over two million prescriptions for Latisse have been filled with no confirmed reports of iris pigmentation issues. Side effects from the initial studies showed less than 4 percent of people experienced redness, irritation and itching of the upper eyelid, which was reversed upon discontinuation. The irritation can sometimes lead to darkening of the skin on the upper eyelid where the Latisse has been applied. This can actually be a good thing if you use eyeliner.

Revitalash Disclosure of Adverse Side Effects?

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