Latisse For Eyebrows: Benefits and Side Effects

Latisse for eyebrows is one of the treatment methods for re-growing eyebrows. Do you know that the eyebrows are important part of your facial features ?. Apart from adding up to your looks, they also help to give expression during conversations.

When next you are communicating with someone face to face, watch their eyebrows, you will find out how much information about their feelings or thoughts you are able to get just by observing their eyebrows. This is why more than 80 million people in the United States used eyebrow pencils in 2020 to enhance and thicken their brows (Statista, 2021). 

During facial make up, we can shave and tweeze our eyebrows or when in subconscious moments, we can pluck out our brows. You can use an eye pencil to fill the brows till they grow back. But most times, these hairs do not grow back. It is easier to remove hairs than for them to regrow again. 

What happens if your eyebrows do not grow back again? Will you continue using eye pencil everyday or you will remain indoors?. Due to advance in medicine, science and research, there is a treatment option that is highly effective for helping eyebrows regrow, it is called latisse.

WHAT IS LATISSE

LATISSE FOR EYEBROWS
Latisse for eyebrows

Latisse, is also known to contain 0.03% bimatoprost ophthalmic solution which is an eye drop that is originally developed and used in treating glaucoma. The active ingredient in this solution is bimatoprost. People started using the eye drop for their lashes and opthalmologists noticed that the eyelashes started growing longer and became luxurious. This made the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Latisse for use on the upper eyelids for sparse eyelashes in 2008 (FDA, 2008).

Latisse is now recommended as a treatment option for growing eyelashes. However, because of how expensive and lengthy the process of approving the use of Latisse for eyebrows from the FDA, the manufacturers have not carried out research on it. But doctors prescribe Latisse for eyebrow regrowth most times but as off-label use because the product is used other than how the FDA approves it.

BENEFITS OF LATISSE FOR EYEBROWS

The treatment method for re-growing eyebrow is becoming more common in the cosmetology industries. Latisse has not been approved for treating eyebrow loss but many clinical trials and studies have proven it to be effective.

Dermatology Online Journal published a small 2014 study that studied eyebrow growth in 10 female participants using Latisse. For this study, instead of using placebo, the women were asked to use Latisse daily on one eyebrow for six weeks while the other eyebrow was left without treatment. When the research was concluded, it was discovered that all 10 participants experienced eyebrow hair growth on the Latisse side with no adverse effects.

A 2016 study published in the journal Dermatologic Surgery researched on 357 men and women who have eyebrow hair loss for seven months. During this research, some of the participants received a placebo while others received Latisse to use on their eyebrows.

All participants were asked to apply the product given one or two times a day. At the end of the study, those who used latisse had more significant eyebrow growth than those who used the placebo. The effects became most noticeable after the second month of application.
Drug Design, Development, and Therapy published a review of six studies  which concluded that when Latisse used for eyebrows was a “safe, effective, and well-tolerated option” to treat eyebrow hair loss.

HOW TO USE LATISSE FOR EYEBROWS

Latisse comes in a small eye drop container. It has an applicaton to help you drop the liquid on the desired area. To use the Latisse

  • You squeeze a drop onto the applicator
  • Using a combing method, apply on your eyebrows
  • Brush your brows gently to make sure the equal amount of Latisse gets to every part.

WHERE TO BUY LATISSE AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST

Latisse can be gotten in pharmacies and online shops like Amazon, Aliexpress, Jumia and others. According to prescription drug pricing website GoodRx, Latisse costs $224.50 but it can be gotten around $170.42 which is the lowest price for a bottle. The medicine is expensive but also effective if you continually apply it to your eyebrows.

HOW DOES LATISSE FOR EYEBROWS WORK

Latisse was originally meant for glaucoma but patients who used eye drops that contained Bimatoprost experienced eyelash growth and 2008, the FDA approved Latisse as a treatment for eyelashes. There has not been approval from FDA for the use of Latisse for eyebrows but clinical trials have shown its effectiveness.
Latisse works in two ways.

  • Latisse stimulates hair follicles to move from the resting phase to the growth phase thereby increasing length.
  • It keeps hair follicles in the growth phase.

WHAT IMPACTS LATISSE EFFECTIVENESS

There are some factors that can determine how fast you get the results. Here are some factors

  • How often you use the product, you cannot use it once and expect immediate results. You must continually use it till you are satisfied.
  • How well you use it. Knowing how to apply Latisse is very important so as to make the solution go round and into the brows.
  • Another factor to consider is the underlying cause of your eyebrow hair loss. It can be a medical condition or aging.

SIDE EFFECTS OF LATISSE

Every product has side effect including latisse. Side effects of Latisse are:

  • It darkens the eyebrow hairs: This is not really good for light skinned people, so if you have lighter eyebrows, know that they may become darker when you use Latisse on them.
    About 3 to 4 percent of people who have used Latisse observed adverse side effects, which are:
  • Itchy eyes
  • Darker skin
  • Red or noticeable blood vessels in the eyes
    Dermatological Surgery published a study in 2015 and common side effects of Latisse were included. Using Latisse for eyebrow treatment can lead to
  • Itchy skin
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Sinusitis
  • Runny nose

Even with the above side effects, researchers have not been able to determine if the side effects were caused due to usage of Latisse or because of other reasons. Nevertheless, all studies and researches made on the product showed that it is safe for the eyebrows and effective too.

WHAT CAN CAUSE EYEBROW THINNING

There are conditions that may cause eyebrow thinning such as the following

  • Over-tweezing
  • Chemical burns
  • Skin issues
  • Autoimmune disorders like alopecia areata
  • Endocrine or thyroid disorders 

It can also be caused by nutritional deficiencies like lack of the following:

  • Iron
  • Zinc
  • Biotin (B vitamin)

You can need to speak to a healthcare professional to see if there are any underlying causes for your eyebrow hair loss, as there may be more effective ways to stop the loss and prevent it from returning. 

REVIEWS FOR LATISSE FOR EYEBROWS

There has been reviews from people who used the product to regrow their brows, some claimed that within a month of using Latisse, they noticed some some significant growth: Baby hairs were sprouting up around their eyebrows. Other reviews showed that they are finer than regular brow hairs and their brows look fuller overall.
However, few reported that the results you get from Latisse do not last. You only get the growth while you are using the product. So if you want to keep your new, thicker brows, you have to keep using the products.

ALTERNATIVE TO LATISSE

It is difficult to get a product that will help you grow back your eyebrows cause most of the products used for scalp treatment are not approved by the FDA for eyebrow treatment. 

It is important that you talk to your doctor about your eyebrows loss so that the underlying cause can be discovered and treated.
You can get over the counter products with ingredients that will help your eyebrows regrow. These are serums that contain components to condition or strengthen existing eyebrow hairs. They are made to make the eyebrows stronger and fixed to avoid falling out easily.
Their components include :

  • Biotin
  • Peptides
  • Oils
  • Fatty acids

HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS LAST?

There are few studies available which showed that using Latisse for seven to nine months can increase your eyebrow and make it fuller. Provided you use Latisse the correct way, you should be able to maintain eyebrow thickness. Continuously using it will mean increase in the length and thickness of your brows. Avoid using it multiple times.

CONCLUSION

Latisse has been suggested according to studies and researches as an option for treating eyebrow loss. However, FDA has not given approval for its usage, so it must be prescribed by a doctor as an off label product before it can be used.

Also, speak with your healthcare professional to determine the cause of your eyebrow thinning and whether Latisse is suitable for you or not. Although, number of persons who used Latisse and reported side effects are less, you should also take note of them especially a change skin color .

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