Latisse Information and Uses

Latisse

Latisse Overview

Latisse (generic: bimatoprost) is a prescription medication used to increase eyelash length, thickness, and darkness. Latisse belongs to a group of drugs called prostaglandins which have been used to treat glaucoma. People treated with this medication for glaucoma noticed longer, thicker, darker eyelash growth as a side effect. It works by increasing the amount and duration of eyelash hairs.

This medication comes in liquid form and is applied once daily, at bedtime, to the skin of the upper eyelid.

Common side effects of Latisse include eye itching and redness, and skin darkening near the application site.

Uses of Latisse

Latisse is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis (having inadequate or not enough eyelashes). It is used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker. Within several weeks or months of stopping this medication, eyelashes are expected to return to their previous appearance.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Side Effects of Latisse

The most common side effects after using Latisse solution are:

an itching sensation in the eyes; and/or
eye redness.

This was reported in approximately 4% of patients.

Other less common side effects:

skin darkening near Latisse application site (may reverse after stopping medication);
eye irritation;
dryness of the eyes;
redness of the eyelids;
darkening of colored part of eye called the iris (NOT expected to reverse after stopping medication).

If you develop a new ocular condition (e.g., trauma or infection), experience a sudden decrease in visual acuity, have ocular surgery, or develop any ocular reactions, particularly conjunctivitis and eyelid reactions, you should immediately seek your physician's advice concerning the continued use of Latisse solution.

Latisse Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you receive the following medicines:

Lumigan (bimatoprost)
Xalatan (latanoprost)
Zioptan (tafluprost)

This is not a complete list of Latisse drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Latisse Precautions

Do not use Latisse solution if you are allergic to one of its ingredients.

DO NOT APPLY to the lower eyelid.

Latisse may cause darkening of the eyelid skin (may be reversible) and increased brown pigmentation of the iris (NOT expected to reverse).

Latisse solution is intended for use on the skin of the upper eyelid margins at the base of the eyelashes. DO NOT APPLY to the lower eyelid. If you are using Lumigan or other products in the same class for elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), or if you have a history of abnormal IOP, you should only use Latisse under the close supervision of your physician.

It is possible for hair growth to occur in other areas of your skin that Latisse frequently touches. Any excess solution outside the upper eyelid margin should be blotted with a tissue or other absorbent material to reduce the chance of this from happening. It is also possible for a difference in eyelash length, thickness, fullness, pigmentation, number of eyelash hairs, and/or direction of eyelash growth to occur between eyes. These differences, should they occur, will usually go away if you stop using Latisse.

Latisse Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Latisse there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Latisse.

Inform MD

Before receiving Latisse, tell your doctor if:

you are allergic to Latisse or any other medications
you have glaucoma (eye pressure problems)
you have iritis
you have had cataract surgery.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Latisse and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Latisse will harm your unborn baby.

Latisse and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Latisse is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

Latisse Usage

Once nightly, start by ensuring your face is clean, makeup and contact lenses are removed. Remove an applicator from its tray. Then, holding the sterile applicator horizontally, place one drop of Latisse on the area of the applicator closest to the tip but not on the tip. Then immediately draw the applicator carefully across the skin of the upper eyelid margin at the base of the eyelashes (where the eyelashes meet the skin) going from the inner part of your lash line to the outer part. Blot any excess solution beyond the eyelid margin. Dispose of the applicator after one use.

Repeat for the opposite upper eyelid margin using a new sterile applicator. This helps minimize any potential for contamination from one eyelid to another.

DO NOT APPLY in your eye or to the lower lid. ONLY use the sterile applicators supplied with Latisse to apply the product. If you miss a dose, don't try to “catch up.” Just apply Latisse solution the next evening. Fifty percent of patients treated with Latisse in a clinical study saw significant improvement by 2 months after starting treatment.

If any Latisse solution gets into the eye proper, it is not expected to cause harm. The eye should not be rinsed.

Don't allow the tip of the bottle or applicator to contact surrounding structures, fingers, or any other unintended surface in order to avoid contamination by common bacteria known to cause infections.

Contact lenses should be removed prior to application of Latisse and may be reinserted 15 minutes following its administration.

Use of Latisse more than once a day will not increase the growth of eyelashes more than use once a day.