Are your eyelashes noticeably thinner than they were when you were younger? Have you noticed your eyelashes falling out more often than they used to? Are you concerned about how short your eyelashes are? If so, you may be a good candidate for Latisse at Wichita Vision Institute in Wichita, KS. However, nothing lasts forever, including this powerful medication. To discover how long this medication lasts, keep reading.
The results of latisse treatment last as long as you continue to take the medication as directed. If you stop taking the medication as directed, you may only enjoy the full results of treatment for a couple of months. Once your upper eyelashes are no longer in the growth phase, they will continue to fall out as they normally would.
After an additional four months, you may notice so many of your upper lashes have fallen out that you need to start wearing mascara or false eyelashes again. However, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind.
First, you may not need to apply the medication daily to maintain your final results. Second, how long the results last after you stop applying the medication depends on what was causing your inadequate lashes.
Most people must use the medication daily for 60 days for the opportunity to see the final results of treatment. After this point, it takes three to four months for the final results of the treatment to be seen.
Remember, though, that the results of treatment will only last for a couple of months after you stop taking it. To enjoy the final results of treatment, you must continue to apply the medication as directed by Dr. Patel based on your unique needs.
No two clients are the same and the results of this medication aren’t universal. Nevertheless, years of research can provide a very good general idea of the results that you can expect realistically.
According to clinical trials, after 16 weeks of using the medication exactly as directed, the average person saw eyelashes that increase in length by 25%. You can expect lashes that are about 18% darker and 106% thicker.
The primary ingredient in this medication, bimatoprost, works by extending the amount of time your eyelashes spend in the growth phase. Just like the rest of the hairs on your body, your eyelashes go through a growth cycle which consists of several phases. During the anagen phase, also known as the growth phase, your hair grows.
If the duration of this phase is too short, your upper lashes can’t get long or thick enough to provide you the look you want. Next, your hair goes through the catagen, or transition, phase. This stage lasts roughly 10 days, and it is at this time that the hair follicles shrink and detach themselves from the dermal papilla.
Next, your hair goes through the telogen, or resting, phase for approximately three months. Roughly 10 to 15% of your hairs are in this phase at any given time. Then, the exogen, or new hair, phase occurs during which time the old hair falls out and new hair begins to grow.
Applying this medication is not hard at all. The package that your bottle of medication comes in provides clear instructions that are easy to follow.
To summarize the instructions briefly, apply the medication to your upper lash line by putting a single drop of the drug in the bottle cap and using the clean, sterile applicator brush. Apply the prescription as you would apply eyeliner.
If you’re in the maintenance phase of latisse treatment and you forget a dose, apply it as soon as possible after you remember that you forgot to apply it. For example, if you apply it every other day at 6 AM, but you remember at 9:30 AM while you’re at work, set an alarm on your phone or in your calendar to remind you to apply it at 6 PM when you get home from work.
If you don’t remember until the next day, don’t skip the dose. Apply it as soon as possible after you’ve remembered and wait 48 hours after you’ve applied your forgotten dose to apply your next dose. If you forget to apply your medication during the first phase of latisse treatment, skip your forgotten dose and then return to your usual schedule of every 24 hours. Missing one dose will only marginally extend the time it takes for the drug to start working.
You should apply this medication after you wash your face in the morning. If you’re not a morning person and would prefer to apply this medication at night, wash your face before application and make sure you apply it at least 30 minutes before you lie down for the night.
This ensures the medication has plenty of time to dry. If you lie down immediately after applying the medication, it may wipe off on your pillow and get rubbed into your skin inadvertently.
If you add only one drop of medication to the tip of the applicator brush, there is only a minuscule chance that the medication will drip beyond the intended area, but accidents happen. If medication drips onto your skin, wipe it off immediately.
You are more likely to drip the medication on your skin accidentally during the first week or two of using the medication. It is advisable to keep a clean cloth nearby during the first couple of weeks of application.
If the medication gets in your lower lashes, blot it away as quickly as possible. This medication is intended only for application on the upper lash line. If you get the medication in your eye accidentally, use cool water to flush it out immediately. If you have any questions regarding how to proceed if you get medicine in your eye, call us.
You may not use an applicator brush more than once. You may take pride in how clean your bedroom or bathroom is, but no matter how religiously you clean and sanitize your living spaces, dust or other irritants can get onto the applicator brush. The only way to ensure your applicator brush is sterile and will not cause eye or skin irritation is to use a clean brush every time you apply the medication.
Once you’ve applied the drug, dispose of the used brush immediately. Watch the tip of the brush closely to ensure you have applied all of the medication to your upper lash line and you do not drip any medication anywhere you might touch.
A 5 ml bottle of Latisse can last anywhere from four to eight months. Five milliliters provides 112 doses. This is precisely enough for 16 weeks of daily application, which is nearly four months.
However, you only need to apply the medication daily during the initiation phase. During the maintenance phase, you may only need to apply the medication every other day. If such a case applies to you, a single bottle will last you 32 weeks, or nearly eight months.
Absolutely! Just remember it’s important for your medication to have time to dry before it gets rubbed away. Therefore, you should apply it at least half an hour before you apply any cosmetics, including eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara.
Again, if you choose to apply your medication at night, make sure you give it plenty of time to dry before you lie down.
You may be a good candidate for this medication if you have healthy eyes that are free from glaucoma and active infections and you are concerned about the appearance of sparse upper eyelashes. During your initial consultation, Dr. Patel will also review your medical history thoroughly.
For example, to be considered a good candidate for this medication you should have no history of darkened eyelid skin, shingles around the eyes, or current irritated lid skin.
No. This powerful medication is available by prescription only. In other words, you have to see a skin and eye specialist to review your case and determine if it will be safe and effective for you.
However, this medication is so powerful that it can treat thin lashes caused by madarosis, a side effect of chemotherapy. As long as your eyes and eyelids are healthy, there’s a very good chance you will be given a prescription for this medication.
Yes. Although Latisse was FDA-approved in 2001 to treat a different medical condition, in 2004, the FDA approved it for the safe, effective treatment of eyelash hypotrichosis. In fact, this condition is among the most common reasons women and men seek a prescription for this medication.
Eyelash hypotrichosis is a medical condition that is characterized by the inability to grow hair. The most common cause of this condition is genetics, but it can also be caused by several other factors, such as aging or chemotherapy.
As with other medications, you should store this medication in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Your medicine cabinet is the perfect place to store this medication. If you leave it on your nightstand, direct sunlight may hit it and affect the potency of the medication. For the best results, store this medication between 36 and 77 degrees.
If you have pets or children, make sure they can’t access the medication or the applicator brushes. Although the applicator brushes are sterile, the plastic wrapping that the brushes are stored in can be harmful to pets if swallowed accidentally.
If you’re sick and tired of throwing money down the drain on mascara that runs in the rain, you may be a good candidate for Latisse, a prescription medication that lasts as long as you take it as prescribed or two months after you stop taking it. If you have any further questions about this medication, please contact Dr. Patel right now at Wichita Vision Institute in Wichita, KS.