Question: Does Latisse make the eyelashes longer, fuller, or both?

Answer: Latisse makes eyelashes longer, fuller, and darker, and it does so very consistently and safely.  The only downside of Latisse is that you do have to keep using it so that your lashes maintain this longer, fuller, and darker effect. 

No Comments »

Question: Can I use Latisse indefinitely? Are there any side effects associated with long-term use? 

Answer: You can use Latisse indefinitely, though most patients will decrease the frequency of usage as a maintenance dose since lashes do tend to get rather long with continued daily use. The only side effects that typically occur in patients using Latisse are some irritation of the skin or pigmentation of the skin where the application is performed, but this can be reduced by blotting the area after the application or temporary discontinuation of the product and this pigmentation will be resolved. The iris pigmentation has not been observed using Latisse, though is a theoretical risk in would be irreversible in patients with green or hazel eyes, it is really not a risk with patients with blue eyes or brown eyes. Ultimately, discuss your concerns with your healthcare professional, but overall Latisse is extremely safe and effective and can be used long-term.

No Comments »

Question: I have been using Latisse for about four months now, and I love it. I have gotten great results, and I am very proud of my new lashes. My only problem is the expense. I feel like, now that my lashes look so great, I do not need to keep using it. If I stop using Latisse, will my awesome new lashes fall out again?

Answer: Your awesome new lashes will eventually fall out due to the fact that eyelashes do continuously fall out and get replaced by new lashes. The new lashes will not be nearly as thick and long as your current lashes if you discontinue the Latisse product. I typically tell my patients that they can go on a maintenance dose of Latisse where they use the product once or twice a week instead of nightly and they can, therefore, extend the longevity of the bottle and, therefore, decrease their overall cost and yet, for most patients, they can maintain their fuller, thicker lashes as long as they continue to use the product on a regular basis. Ultimately though, if you completely discontinue Latisse, your lashes will slowly return to their normal state.

No Comments »

Question: I am a 22-year-old blue-eyed female. I have always wished I had longer and fuller lashes, so I have recently been considering Latisse. I have heard some scary things about the product staining eye pigment though. Are blue-eyed people at more risk of developing pigment staining by Latisse?

Answer: Actually, blue-eyed people have no risk whatsoever of iris staining from Latisse due to the fact that they have no pigment in their iris, and that is why their eye color is blue. Latisse cannot create pigment in blue-eyed patients, so there is nothing for you to worry about. The product in Latisse has historically been used as an eyedrop, and there were a very small percentage of patients with green or hazel-colored eyes who would get pigmentation of their iris. Brown-eyed patients already have pigmentation in their iris, and blue-eyed patients cannot pigment their iris, so these patients really did not have an issue.

Furthermore, Latisse is placed in very small quantities on the lash, and an equivalent of 1/10 of 1% of the medication actually gets on the eyeball compared to the use of the aforementioned eyedrop. Thus far, there has never been a case where Latisse has caused pigmentation of the iris but, due to the fact that the same product in eyedrop form has, the FDA required that they place this on their insert as a potential risk.

However, you as a blue-eyed patient really have no risk regarding this and I would, therefore, highly recommend Latisse if you desire longer and fuller lashes.

No Comments »

Question: I have been thinking about using Latisse to fill out my lashes but I do not want any bad side effects, and I want to be careful.  I wear colored contact lenses.  I know it may sound like a silly question but could colored contacts prevent Latisse from working properly?

Answer: No, colored contacts cannot prevent Latisse from working properly, as Latisse is placed on the eyelid not the eyeball.  Though a very small amount of Latisse may end up on the eyeball, this is literally less than 1% of the amount that would be on the eyeball due to the installation of an eyedrop.  I, therefore, feel very comfortable prescribing Latisse to patients who use contacts and, furthermore, we recommend that patients use Latisse before they go to bed, at which point patients should have their contacts out of their eyes anyway.  The product is placed along the upper lash line, blotted, and then allowed to improve the lower eyelashes simply because the two lash lines touch.  Overall, Latisse is very safe and effective.

No Comments »