Thursday, January 29, 2009

FDA OKs 1st Eyelash Drug Latisse


Latisse Promotes Longer, Darker, Thicker Lashes; Glaucoma Drug Inspired It
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News

Dec. 26, 2008 -- The FDA has approved Latisse, the first drug to promote eyelash growth, according to Allergan, the company that makes Latisse.

Latisse, which will be available by prescription starting in the first quarter of 2009, contains the active ingredient of the glaucoma drug Lumigan, which is also made by Allergan.

Eyelash growth is a known side effect of Lumigan. But Lumigan and Latisse are used differently. Lumigan is an eyedrop, and Latisse gets dabbed along the lash line on the upper eyelids to promote longer, thicker, darker lashes.

Allergan states that "Latisse users can expect to experience longer, fuller, and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks." If Latisse is stopped, eyelashes will gradually return to their previous appearance as new eyelashes grow in.

Allergan also notes that Latisse may cause darkening of the eyelid skin, which may be reversible, and it "may also cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye, which is likely to be permanent."

Latisse may also promote hair growth in other skin areas that it frequently touches, so Allergan recommends blotting it off any skin other than the upper eyelid's lash line to prevent that side effect.

According to Allergan, Latisse was well-tolerated in its clinical trials, with the most common side effects being eye redness, itchy eyes, and skin hyperpigmentation.

Earlier this month, an FDA advisory panel recommended that the FDA approve Latisse and also recommended further studies in certain groups of patients, such as young patients and people who lost their eyelashes to chemotherapy.

22 comments:

Alexandra said...

Dr. Fallek, let me set the record straight regarding Latisse. As a self professed cosmetic junkie, I just had to see what all the fuss was about (Allergan's Latisse), so I ordered Lumigan (same active ingredient, Bimatoprost) and experienced terrible side effects. Your comments about discoloration and irritation are right on!!! I would be careful using this product. Besides that, who wants to see a Doctor for a beauty product. I've also tried a product called Revitalash, which works the same way. Perhaps it takes a couple of weeks longer, but the results are the same!!! I couldn't even get through 2 weeks of Allergan's product. I tried Revitalash last year and got long lashes in about 2 months. I'm going back to what works---an is safe!!!

Sylvie said...

I completely agree with Alexandra. It seems like all the side effects of latisse out weigh the benefit of longer lashes. Especially when you can buy a product like Revitalash for less money and safer results...

Clear View Eye Care said...

March 26, 2009 Allergan, Inc. hosted a star-studded event in Hollywood to launch LATISSE™ Wishes, a charitable public awareness campaign designed to help make wishes come true. Actress Brooke Shields and beauty expert to the stars Anastasia Soare will lead the campaign to generate $1 million to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children with lifethreatening medical conditions.

The LATISSE™ Wishes campaign was borne out of the tradition of blowing on an eyelash to make a wish come true and leverages the excitement surrounding the availability of Allergan’s LATISSE™ (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03%, the first and only science-based prescription treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes (inadequate or not enough lashes) that is used to grow eyelashes, making them
longer, fuller and darker.

“In the short time LATISSE™ has been available, the product has already made many women’s wish lists,” said David E.I. Pyott, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Allergan. “While LATISSE™ may fulfill the wish for more prominent eyelashes, we also wanted to shine the spotlight on the Make-A-Wish Foundation and provide support for the important work it does in granting children’s wishes.”

The LATISSE™ Wishes campaign launched with an initial donation of $500,000 from Allergan to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Consumers are encouraged to help double this amount to $1 million by registering their support at www.LATISSE.com to help grant the wishes of children in
their local communities. Between now and December 31, 2009, Allergan will donate $5 for each new visitor who registers online, up to an additional $500,000.

“Every 40 minutes the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish to a child with a life-threatening medical condition. Forty seconds is all it takes to visit www.LATISSE.com to register your support and help make wishes come true,” said David Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. “We urge everyone to log on to the LATISSE™ Web site and register their support to help grant the wishes of children in their communities.”

“I am delighted to be a part of LATISSE™ Wishes, to not only help educate women on an eyelash growth product that is the first to be scientifically proven, but also to support a worthy organization such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” said Shields. “I remember being a child and
blowing on an eyelash hoping my wish would come true, and as a mother I’ve passed this tradition onto my children. Through LATISSE™ Wishes and in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, we can keep the tradition alive and fulfill the hopes of so many more children
around the country.”

In addition to Shields and Soare, other stars including Debra Messing, Angie Harmon, Marisa Tomei, Mandy Moore, Debi Mazar, Jewel, Jennifer Coolidge and Perrey Reeves attended the red-carpet kick-off event for the LATISSE™ Wishes campaign. Over the next several months, campaign ambassadors Shields and Soare, who both use LATISSE™ solution, will travel to cities across the country hosting informational events aimed to further support the
campaign and its goal of providing $1 million to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Local events will be held in New York, Miami, Dallas, Minneapolis and San Francisco.

“In my business I constantly work to help make women’s beauty wishes come true and now we can help children’s wishes come true through the LATISSE™ Wishes campaign,” said Soare. “I am excited to bring this worthy campaign to cities across the country.”
For more information about the LATISSE™ Wishes charitable awareness campaign, please visit www.LATISSE.com.

Latisse is available through prescription at Clear View Eye Care

Jennifer said...

ooohh, what if i don't pass? would that mean i can't get my lashes thick? my salon offers Revitalash at a very affordable price. i'm on my 3rd week and loving it!

Anonymous said...

Don't hestitate and try Revitalash. I am using it now and I just love it. I'm so happy with my lashes now. Thanks for existing Revitalash!!

Unknown said...

I have tried other brands of lash
enhancers and stopped because it
irritated my eyes and my skin. That is when I switched to Revitalash!! And I am so glad I did. With Revitalash, I now have fuller, darker, longer lashes without the side effects..

Anonymous said...

I don't know about other brands yet and their price is way beyond my price range as well. For now I am using revitalash eyelash conditioner as what was advised by a friend and guess what??! I was like amazed with how my lashes enhanced naturally. Looking fuller and darker which made a big difference to my face. I'm loving revitalash and can't wait to get for another tube. Well latisse is too expensive for me, way beyond my price range. I've been using revitalash eyelash conditioner and had an amazing experience with the results. I've been using it for a year now and it's where i found satisfaction with how my lasher are right now. I can't wait to get another one.

Unknown said...

yeah exactly Norma! Revitalash is amazing. I am using it as well for about 8 months now. The price fits my budget and it really enhanced my lashes naturally.

Unknown said...

Katherine is correct. That is why I am using Revitalash now because it fits my budget and I never expected how it naturally enhanced my
lashes. Looking fuller and darker now which makes a big difference to my face. Latisse is way beyond my price range, too expensive.

Eloise said...

I too am using Revitalash. Before I have tried a different product and wasted my money 'coz after a week I have to stop using it. I got irritations. After healing I tried my friends Revitalash and so glad I did. My lashes are now longer, and fuller. Now I am a loyal Revitalash fan.

Lori said...

I am also using Revitalash and tried it because it is more affordable, and I am so glad I chose it over the expensive ones. It is really an amazing product. My lashes are now longer, fuller and darker. It really made a difference on how I look. Amazing!

Anonymous said...

been using Revitalash since january my sis gave it to me and I absolutely love it. Its great how it makes my eye lashes thicker, plus no burning or itchy side effects..

Mona said...

The product I am using is MaximumLash and it really works. It made my lashes grow darker and fuller and longer. I am on my 7th week and I never had irritations.

Anonymous said...

I'm now a believer, revitabrow has just worked wonders. I luve it!

Anonymous said...

looks are decieving i guess revitalash really works. lol

Anonymous said...

Hi there! Carla here, To start off, I'm so thankful forums like this are made, it's really a big help for me as a consumer for I get the chance to canvass great products that I demand and want to purchase. From there, I found a great eyelash enhancer product and that is revitalash eyelash enhancer. I will not have any second thoughts to switch to a different brand for it has already gained my trust. Great product. I'm so happy with how my lusher are now.

Anonymous said...

Its our 4thanniversary, and I luv how I look. My hubby likes my sexy look. Lolls tnx to revitalash

Anonymous said...

day after day my lashes seems to be improving from being dull to a now healthier lashes.

-gem

Anonymous said...

by far revitabrow has been the best product i've tried, its truly one of a kind.

-paloma

Dr. Steve Fallek said...

typical marketing nonsense anonymous posts. Latisse is inexpensive, really no side effects.

Anonymous said...

done lots of research overall i think revitalash works best. getting one this month!

aliyasmith13 said...

The eyelash enhancer is becoming the talk of the town these days. It was not long ago when people mostly discuss about the best ways for having more beautiful eyelashes with the use of a curl, not by getting longer eyelashes with an eyelash enhancer. Luckily, cosmetics and makeup are some of the various things that people can get out of the continuous scientific discoveries, giving us more options when it comes to eyelash growth products.



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Aliya of Eyelash Growth