Eyelashes are an important aspect of aesthetic appeal. Thick, dark, long lashes are considered marks of great beauty themselves, and increase the attractiveness of the eyes. Not having the eyelashes you want can be frustrating. Fortunately, with Latisse, you can achieve beautiful lashes in just a few weeks.
Overview
Certain conditions, diets, and just aging can cause your lashes to become thinner or shorter. Mascara can help enhance the appearance of the lashes but cosmetics can only go so far, and continued use of heavy mascara can stunt and even pull out already thin lashes. Many people hope for another alternative. Latisse, by Allergan, is a prescription medication that helps eyelashes grow.
Causes of Inadequate Eyelashes
Madarosis, the medical term for the loss of eyelashes, can be caused by many things. These may be behavioral or medical. Either way, losing your lashes, or dealing with lashes that have become short or thin, can be saddening and reduce your self-image. Pinpointing the cause of your eyelash loss or thinning will help you to determine what treatment plan may be appropriate for you.
- Blepharitis is a medical condition that leads to swelling of the eyelids. This swelling stresses the eyelash follicles and can lead to eyelash loss and reduced thickness or strength of the eyelashes. The condition itself has no cure but it can be treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications.
- Pulling out your eyelashes, whether just as a habit or accidentally while you are taking off your eye makeup can lead to those follicles no longer producing eyelashes, or producing ones that are not as lush.
- Aging causes the thinning and loss of all types of body hair, eyelashes included. This is due to lowered hormones and other factors.
- Other illnesses, particularly those that affect the autoimmune system of the body, can cause hair to fall out, grow more slowly, and grow in lighter and finer than before the illness.
What is Latisse?
Latisse is a liquid medication that can be prescribed by your normal doctor. This medication is one of the wonders of medical science that was actually discovered from a side effect of another drug. During the testing studies of a drug intended to reduce eye pressure, doctors involved in the studies noticed that patients were experiencing thicker, longer eyelashes. The doctors focused in on the main ingredient of the drug, bimatropist. They noticed that this ingredient encouraged the growth of eyelashes. With this knowledge, they developed Latisse.
How it Works
Like many medical treatments, it is not entirely known exactly why Latisse works the way it does. The presumption, however, is that the medication affects the anagen phase of the eyelash growth cycle. All hair has a growth cycle that determines how long and thick the hair will be at any given point. Latisse works to lengthen this phase of the eyelash growth cycle, not just allowing the eyelashes to grow longer, but also affecting a greater number of lashes. This allows for a more voluminous appearance.
Benefits
Latisse has three major benefits that are supported by clinical studies.
- As compared to the only 2% in the control group, study patients experienced a 25% increase in the length of their eyelashes.
- While the control group only saw a 12% increase in the thickness of their eyelashes, study patients using the actual Latisse solution saw a 106% increase in these areas.
- Study patients noted an 18% increase in the darkness of their eyelashes, as opposed to only 3% in the control group.
These are impressive results, offering very noticeable differences in the appearance and quality of eyelashes in those using the actual Latisse solution.
How Long Does it Take?
Latisse is a liquid solution applied daily to the upper eyelid using a new included, sterile brush each time. This process should be repeated consistently each night. Some patients see results in as little as 4 weeks. Doctors note that full results will be achieved after 16 weeks.