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New Treatment for Lengthening Eyelashes
By jeremyc | December 7, 2009
When it comes to beauty, some women are willing to take extreme measures to lengthen their lashes.
Dermatologists say women like Jamie Bajoras are flocking to their offices for a new treatment to make eyelashes look longer.
“I’ve never had, I guess, standout eyes,” Bajores said, adding she’s tried eyeliner, mascara and fake eyelashes.
“I would get fake eyelashes and glue them on and that was my way around it,” she said.
Janice Rasmussen has tried fake eyelashes and more.
“I have always, since I was a little girl, wanted long lashes,” she said.
She even had individual lashes put in at a salon until she learned to do it herself. But now she and Bajores are hooked on lengthening their lashes with a new option: Latisse.
It’s a prescription drug that received FDA approval in April to treat patients with hypotrichosis — or sparse eyelashes.
Dermatologists say demand for what women call the “Brooke Shields treatment” is skyrocketing.
“They’re saying, I like to look at these pictures of models, their friends with longer lashes — they want to look the same,’ said Dr. Amir Bajoghli, a dermatologist with the Skin & Laser Surgery Center in Woodbridge
Latisse is a spin-off of the glaucoma drug Lumigan. Researchers discovered a side effect of the drug was longer lashes. After four months of using Latisse, lashes are typically 25-percent longer, 100-percent fuller and 18-percent darker.
“You just feel happier and more attractive,” Rasmussen said. “It’s fun.”
Doctors warn potential side effects include redness, itchiness, skin darkening and hair growth on the cheeks. There’s also a slight chance it could permanently change the color of a patient’s eyes.
“If you have hazel eyes or blue eyes it can turn darker .. sometimes permanently brown or black,” Dr. Amir Bajoghli said.
Bajoras said it was a concern.
“I have hazel-light green eyes, so that was something I definitely asked about,” she said.
But because the risk is minimal, Bajoras decided to try Latisse and hasn’t had any problems.
And she’s thrilled to have lengthy lashes just in time for her spring wedding.
“Just focusing more on making sure my hair stays nice, and eyelashes stay long,” Bajoras said.
The treatment is not cheap. Latisse runs about $120 a month. And once a patient stops using it, her lashes return to the way they were.
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