Latisse® Eyelash Serum: 5 Facts About This Lash Treatment

Who doesn’t love the look of thick, full eyelashes? While it looks amazing and draws attention to our eyes, some of us simply weren’t blessed with perfect eyelashes. Quality mascaras, false eyelashes, and eyelash extensions can help, but if you want to truly enjoy natural thick, full eyelashes, Latisse® might be an option to explore.

What Is Latisse®?

Latisse® is the brand name for a medication known as bimatoprost. This medicine initially was designed to treat eye pressure caused by glaucoma. However, many patients using this medicine also reported that their eyelashes started growing longer and darker, and this led to more studies and its eventual use to improve the look of eyelashes. The FDA approved Latisse® for use as an eyelash growth treatment in 2008. Here are a few facts about this eyelash growth treatment.

1 – Latisse® Takes Time To Work

How long does Latisse® take to work? This is a frequent question, and probably the first one our patients think to ask. Latisse® is not a quick fix, and you do need to have patience. It takes time for this treatment to start working. Typically, some patients will notice some eyelash growth after about a month of treatment, but for some patients, it can take about eight weeks to see real improvement.

Typically, by week 12, you definitely will notice an improvement, and by week 16, your lashes should be much fuller, longer and darker. But you definitely won’t have immediate results and you should be prepared to wait several months to see the full effects of Latisse®.

2 – You Must Use Latisse® Consistently

Latisse® eyelash growth serum is meant to be applied daily using a disposable applicator. It is easy to apply, but as with just about any beauty treatment, it’s essential that you use it every day and keep up with your treatments. Patients that use Latisse® every day without fail will see the best results. If you skip a couple of days each week, it can slow growth and you may not be satisfied with the results.

3 – Not Everyone Is A Good Candidate

Most healthy adults can use Latisse®, however, it is not FDA-approved for people younger than 18. It’s also not recommended for our pregnant patients, as it has not been tested with pregnant women. Additionally, if you have glaucoma or any type of elevated intraocular pressure and/or are using medications to treat these types of conditions, you need to speak with your ophthalmologist before using Latisse®.

There are many reasons why lashes can become thinner or fall out. For instance, some skin cancers in the eye area can cause hair loss. Conditions such as alopecia areata, blepharitis, and trichotillomania can cause hair loss. Latisse® will only be effective after these medical conditions are addressed, but, of course, if you remove those medical conditions, your lashes will likely grow back in and you might not feel as though you need an eyelash growth treatment.

In general, Latisse® should be used for those with naturally thin or short eyelashes or those with hypotrichosis. This is a type of heredity hair loss. In some cases, people with hypotrichosis will have thin eyelashes and hair from birth, and for others, it develops as they age. Latisse® is often an ideal treatment for people with hypotrichosis.

4 – Contact Lens Wearer? Take Them Off

Before you apply Latisse®, you will need to take out your contact lens. After treatment, you should wait about 15-20 minutes before placing the lens back on your eyes. Latisse® is considered safe for contact lens wearers, but soft contacts can absorb this eyelash growth serum.

While this isn’t necessarily a danger, after all, Latisse® was developed to treat an eye disorder, it might irritate your eyes or affect your vision as Latisse® does lessen intraocular pressure. If you do get a bit of Latisse® in your eyes, this is not a cause for alarm. Latisse® is very safe, and just about all of our patients have told us that they accidentally got it into their eyes at least once.

5 – Latisse® Is Not Permanent

Another common question we hear is how long does Latisse® last? Latisse works well for just about all of our patients, but the results are not permanent. You will need to continue using Latisse® to maintain those longer, fuller lashes. However, if you do stop using Latisse®, your lashes won’t thin out overnight. The change will be gradual, but eventually, your lashes will return to their normal condition.

Latisse® is available only by prescription, and a Charleston plastic surgeon is one doctor that can provide you with a prescription. Latisse® eyelash growth serum is just one of the many treatments we can provide. In addition to Latisse®, we also offer the following spa services:

Additionally, we offer an assortment of non-surgical cosmetic procedures to help you look and feel your best. This includes lip fillers, miraDry®, Cellfina, Botox, ThermiVa®, ThermiTight®, ThermiSmooth®, Voluma XC, CoolSculpting, and more. Of course, Dr. Thaxton can provide you with many cosmetic surgical procedures, including tummy tucks, Mommy Makeovers, face lifts, breast augmentation and reconstruction, rhinoplasty, and even treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome and skin cancer.

Dr. Thaxton is a graduate of Columbia University and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. He also is one of only two practicing plastic surgeons in West Virginia to be elected to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. To learn more about Latisse® eyelash growth treatments or any of our other procedures, give us a call today and we can set up an appointment.