The FDA has issued a warning letter to Allergan, makers of Latisse, claiming that the company has omitted certain risks of the popular eyelash lengthening medication in their advertising. Specifically, the FDA focuses on possible complications including iris pigmentation, hair growth outside the desired area, bacterial eye infection, and allergic reactions. You can find the actual FDA letter to Allergan here. An MSNBC.com article about it is here.
We've been using Latisse in my office since it arrived on the shelves several months ago and have not seen any complications yet. So far it appears to be both well-tolerated and effective. The vast majority of patients we've treated have been very happy.
As far as the complications above, allergic reactions can result from anything applied to the skin, from Latisse to moisturizer to soap. Bacterial eye infections can occur when anything not completely sterile touches the eye, most commonly contact lenses. Iris pigmentation is a complication associated with the other form of bimatoprost (Lumigan) when it is applied directly to the eye. To my knowledge it has not been found when applied to the upper eyelids.
But, as with anything in life, you must take a slight risk to achieve the nice benefit.
Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:
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