There are a lot of eyelash serums on the market today, which all may claim in making your eyelashes the longest and thickest they’ve ever been. With so many options, it may be daunting to choose the correct one. If you’re curious and just don’t know where to start, keep reading to fully understand why Doctors and Health Practitioners alike only trust using Latisse.
Latisse is the only FDA approved, prescription eyelash serum on the market, proven to improve eyelashes for people with thin or not adequate eyelashes. Latisse works by enhancing the life of your own eyelashes to be longer, fuller, and darker. Say bye-bye to falsies, cancel that extension appointment, and wake up naturally bright-eyed. The best thing about Latisse lashes? They’re approved and truly are YOUR OWN!
So where did Latisse come from, and how has it developed over time?
Pharmaceutical company Allergan originally developed ‘Lumigan’, a medicated eye drop released to treat glaucoma in 2001.
Patients noticed their eyelashes getting fuller, longer, and darker while on the medication, thanks to the active ingredient in Lumigan (bimatoprost). Not a bad side effect to have, right?
So after extensive medical research, bimatoprost was deemed safe and effective for eyelash growth, thus introducing Latisse to the market.
How does Latisse work, and what are the 3 lifecycles during its transformation?
Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% (AKA Latisse), starts working in the hair follicle. Every hair on your body undergoes a cycle of growth, transition and rest before falling out and making room for a new hair follicle to step in, which then repeats the same cycle. The length of time a hair follicle spends in the growth phase determines how long the hair can grow.
What are the 3 phases of the Latisse cycle?
The first phase of Latisse is the hair growth cycle is the anagen phase, or the growth phase. Here, eyelashes typically last about 1-2 months. Latisse works by extending this phase in your eyelashes. The darkening of the lash, or pigmentation, only occurs during this phase, so lashes staying in place for a longer amount of time become darker and extensible. By extending the overall phase, you extend the length of the lash!
The second transition (catagen phase), lasts approximately 15 days. This is where the hair follicle detaches from the blood supply and stops growing.
The third and final resting (telogen phase), lasts about 3-9 months. The hair will then fall out and a new hair follicle forms in its place. The various phases of hair follicles exist during different times of the hair cycle, which is why all of your hair never falls out at once and we don’t experience temporary baldness, (and thank goodness for that!)
Latisse is only available by prescription because the main ingredient, Bimatoprost, is a drug that has been tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Latisse is not classified as a cosmetic, like mascara, but rather a prescription drug. Because of this, you will need a medical professional to prescribe this product to use.
When applying Latisse, make sure your face is clean, makeup-free and contact lenses are removed. Take one of the individually packed applicator brushes and remove them from the tray. While holding the sterile applicator horizontally, place only a drop of Latisse solution on the area of the applicator closest to the tip, but not directly on the tip – you don’t want the solution to fall off! Using the applicator, immediately draw the applicator carefully along the skin at the base of the upper eyelashes, right where the eyelashes meet the skin, and go from the inner part of your lash line to the outer part.
DO NOT apply Latisse to the lower lash line, since excess hair outside of the intended treatment area may occur. Using a tissue, blot any excess solution that may have traveled past the eyelid, and dispose of the applicator after one use. Repeat this step for the opposite eyelid, and make sure to use a new, sterile applicator to help minimize any potential for contamination from one eyelid to another.
As a new Latisse patient, you will start to show fuller and lusher lashes at week four, with full eyelash results after 16 weeks of use. Once you have reached the full 16 weeks, our Doctor recommends continuing to use Latisse on a maintenance cycle of a single application per day to help keep your lashes at their fullest potential!
