March 18, 2009 -- A drug used to lower eye pressure in glaucoma patients is now being marketed to make eyelashes longer, darker and thicker. "This is a new innovation for lashes," said Frederick Beddingfield, Chief Medical Officer for Allergan, the company marketing the drug, known as Latisse. "Latisse fulfills a significant and previously unmet aesthetic need in the marketplace." According to clinical trials conducted by Allergan last year, 278 patients taking Latisse averaged eyelashes that were 25 percent longer, 106 percent thicker and 18 percent darker. That translates into 1.4 millimeters of eyelash growth after 16 weeks of use. Latisse, also known as bimatoprost, was originally prescribed under the brand name Lumigen to patients with glaucoma, a condition that raises the pressure inside the eye and can cause blindness. Once a day, patients would drip a 0.03-percent bimatoprost solution onto the affected eye. Related Content:
The relatively concentrated bimatoprost solution binds to receptors in the eye to lower the pressure inside. The exact mechanism for how bimatoprost increases eyelash length, thickness and darkness is unknown. Patients and doctors quickly noted a pleasant side effect. According to Quigley, the effect was so dramatic that people could tell the difference from across a room. But like many drugs, concentrated bimatoprost has some unpleasant side effects as well. The whites of the eyes can become permanently discolored due to an increase in melatonin, a pigment that also helps darken eyelashes. And in some patients, the lash changes soon became unpleasant. Get More NewsMouse Cloned From Long-Frozen CellResearchers create a mouse from a long-frozen cell. Will the mammoth be next?'Bubble' Could Protect AstronautsScientists say a "bubble" around a Mars-bound spaceship could protect astronauts.Big Reduction of Snowmobiles in Yellowstone ProposedA new plan would cut snowmobile use by 40 percent in Yellowstone.Microbes: Fuel of the Future?A reddish South American microbe is literally breathing fuel, say scientists.DNA Links Remains to Steve FossetDNA tests on two bones found in California confirm they are those of Steve Fossett.Women Carry More Bacteria Than MenSome bacteria prefer women, suggests a new study. But why?Ancient 'Water Monster' Facing ExtinctionA foot-long salamander that was a key part of Aztec legend is threatened by extinction.Grand Canyon's Youth ConfirmedThe Grand Canyon is millions of years younger than previously thought, argue geologists.My Take: E-Voting Not User FriendlyOpinion: Electronic voting machines don't always capture the intent of voters.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.At 40, Brain and Body SlowThe part of the brain in charge of motion starts a gradual slide in middle age.Spiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates. |
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