Latisse®  solution is the first (and only) FDA-approved prescription treatment for eyelash hypotrichosis, the condition of not having enough or having inadequate eyelashes. Approved by the FDA in December 2008, Latisse has since attracted a wide audience of users, including spokesperson and avid promoter Brooke Shields.  Formally known as bimatoprost solution, Latisse® is produced by Allergan, Inc., and helps eyelashes grow longer, fuller, and darker than usual.

Allergan conducted a clinical trial of Latisse® with 280 volunteers using the product for 16 weeks. The study revealed eyelashes typically grew to be 106 percent thicker, 25 percent longer, and 18 percent darker. Seventy-eight percent of participants experienced a significant increase in overall eyelash growth (including elements of length, fullness, and darkness) at week 16.

Using a sterile applicator, users carefully swipe the solution across the base of their upper eyelashes, making sure to blot the excess solution and throw out the applicator after one usage.  They must continue applying the topical solution every night in order to see results. Full results usually occur within 12 to 16 weeks of starting Latisse®, though the gradual growth process can be visible after a mere 8 weeks of usage. 

It is not fully known how the Latisse® system works, though it is believed to affect the anagen phase of the eyelash hair cycle by increasing the length of this growth phase and also by increasing the number of hairs involved. Eyelashes experience real measurable growth, though Latisse® eyelash lengthening is not permanent. 

Common side effects of Latisse® include itchiness or redness in the eyes, skin hyperpigmentation (when the skin surrounding the eye may become darker than usual), and increased brown iris pigmentation. In addition, if the Latisse® solution repeatedly touches the same area of skin aside from the eyelash area, there is an increased possibility of hair growth thereLATISSE™ (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is the latest innovation for eyelashes.