Have the prayers of short-lashed ladies everywhere finally been answered?
A new FDA-approved prescription drug that claims to provide a visible difference in your lash length, color and thickness will soon be available to Gainesville residents.
According to the health care company Allergan, their new product Latisse will make eyelashes fuller, darker and longer in as little as four weeks, with full results in 16, and all it takes is a simple swipe.
"It's as easy as wiping eyeliner on every day," said Dr. Miranda Whitmer a dermatologist at Gainesville Dermatology Aesthetic Center.
The drug is a variation of Lumigan, the company's glaucoma medication. Doctors found the solution was improving hair loss on glaucoma patient's lash line, and began testing Latisse.
At this point, Allergan can't pinpoint exactly why the drug stimulates growth, but it believes the drug increases the amount of hair grown during the growth cycle, according to a blog by Scientific American.
Close to 80 percent of people that used Latisse saw an increase in fullness, darkness and length by week 16, with a 106 percent increase in fullness alone, according to the product's Web site.
The trick, however, is keeping up with the treatments. There is still debate on how often treatment should continue to maintain results, Whitmer said.
One bottle is about $120 and comes with 60 applicators, or a 30-day supply.
The application process is simple, she said. Before going to sleep each night place a drop of the solution onto an applicator, rubbing it at the base of your upper eyelashes.
Lash extensions, a more traditional alternative to enhancing lashes, can cost anywhere from $20 to $50 and last about two weeks. They can cause damage to the lashes underneath, said Tara Andrisin, a physician's assistant for dermatology at Gainesville Dermatology Aesthetic Center.
UF freshman Christina Frick said she has been using fake eyelashes for dance performances since high school, and she spends around $12 for one tube of mascara.
"For $2, I can deal with annoying eyelash glue," she said. "This drug may eventually be worth my money, but I'm pretty skeptical."
With the hefty $120 price tag, UF sophomore Lisa Marx said she would only shell out the money for rapid results.
"If I'm paying that much money, I should be able to see a difference in four minutes not four weeks," she said.
Overall, the product is going to benefit those that want the look of makeup without having to take the extra time to put it on each day, Andrisin said.
