A prescription for Latisse, which is obtainable only through a healthcare provider costs about four dollars per day. Prices vary regionally, but the average cost of a 30-day supply can cost approximately $168. It may pay to do a little research, as some healthcare providers offer volume discounts for two- or three-month supplies.
Health insurance won’t cover the cost of Latisse because its purpose is cosmetic. However, you may be able to look forward to savings, as some people cut back to one or two applications per week to maintain their enhanced lashes after about four months of daily application.
What Is Latisse?
Many people, especially women, desire to have thicker and longer eyelashes. Until now, sporting longer eyelashes was only possible with the use of fake lashes. However, due to the discovery of a desirable side effect of a glaucoma drug, a treatment for thicker and longer eyelashes may be prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Latisse is a prescription treatment used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, thicker, and darker. Latisse was discovered when healthcare providers began prescribing bimatoprost, the active ingredient in Latisse, for glaucoma patients or patients with ocular hypertension.
Bimatoprost was first approved in 2001 as a drug to lower intraocular pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. When healthcare providers began prescribing these drugs for the treatment of glaucoma several years ago, they noticed a desirable side effect: increased eyelash growth. Patients would return with thicker, darker and longer eyelashes in as little as six to eight weeks.
In addition to the FDA-approved uses, healthcare providers will most likely use it off-label for aesthetic reasons.
Safety
If you have an eye condition, such as glaucoma or macular edema, consult with your ophthalmologist or optometrist before using Latisse. Follow the instructions closely while using the drug. If you have any concerns, your healthcare provider can evaluate you to make sure you are a good candidate for Latisse as well as prescribe it.
Discontinuing use altogether will cause your eyelashes to return to their previous appearance.
How to Apply Latisse
While it’s easy to get complacent with the daily application, it’s important to follow these steps and proper hygiene each time.
Make sure your face is clean. Remove your makeup and contact lenses if you wear them. Wash your hands to prevent germs from getting on or near your eyes. Remove the applicator from the tray it’s packaged in. Hold the applicator horizontally. Gently squeeze the bottle allow one drop of Latisse to come out onto the applicator. Do not put it on the very tip but the area right before the tip. You will not want to waste any drops, as it’s expensive. Draw the applicator with the Latisse on it along the base of the upper eyelashes starting from the inner part of your eyelash line to the outer part. Do not apply to the lower lid and do not instill Latisse into the eye. (With Latisse, a little goes a long way. )Blot any excess Latisse that may be on the eyelid with a tissue. Try not to allow the Latisse to enter your eyes.
