Generic Latisse is the only FDA-approved treatment proven to make eyelashes grow. It can extend the anagen growth phase, and it is actually effective. The treatment’s key ingredient, bimatoprost, started out in glaucoma medicine to reduce pressure against the eye, Ko explains. Patients noticed that one of the side effects from using bimatoprost was longer, thicker eyelashes. And that’s how the cosmetic benefits were discovered. But since the treatment contains a regulated drug, the only way you can get your hands on it is with a doctor’s prescription. Though effective, it comes with some caveats. You need to faithfully apply it every night before bed, and be sure to do so right at the lash line. “Hair is dead, and applying things to the shaft’s ends won’t have any effect on growth (beyond preventing breakage),” explains Ko. It can take months to notice any results. And be forewarned: One of the side effects of bimatoprost is discoloration on the eyelids and the iris.
If your eyelashes are sparse and breaking off, there’s hope. You can make them grow in strong and long with eyelash growth serum. Continue reading