Eye Didn't Know!

Longer, Thicker, Darker Eyelashes With Latisse®

Did you know? Latisse® is the new prescription medicine for growing longer, thicker eyelashes. Patients are already coming to my office and asking for it. The aesthetician in my office has been using it for a number of weeks and already reports a noticeable difference in her eyelashes.

Latisse® was developed because of a side-effect of a commonly used eyedrop for glaucoma. I can always tell if these patients are using their drops because their lashes are thicker and longer! Allergan decided to reformulate this medicine into a liquid which can be applied to the base of the upper eyelashes. In their clinical trial of 278 patients, 79% of patients noted thicker, longer and darker lashes at week 20 compared to 20% using a placebo. The majority noted improvement after two months. 

The eyelashes gradually return to their baseline appearance after discontinuing the medicine.

There is a theoretical side-effect of permanent darkening of the iris (the eye color), though this did not happen in the clinical trial, and is unlikely to occur if the medicine does not enter the eye. There is also the theoretical side-effect of reversible skin darkening, but this did not occur in the trial either.

Did you also know? Allergan, the makers of Latisse®, also make BOTOX® and Juvederm®. I enjoy using all of these products in my practice, and my patients enjoy looking younger, with a natural appearance.

Dermal Fillers for Facial Sculpting

Did you know? Many patients are familiar with the use of dermal fillers, such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Prevelle, to fill nasolabial folds to give a more youthful appearance. That is just the beginning! Before deciding what treatment is best, it is necessary to use a mirror and evaluate the entire face. Even more common than a prominent nasolabial fold is volume loss of the upper cheek. A youthful face is shaped much like a heart, while an aging face tends to have a hollowed look in the mid and upper cheek. Filling this area with volume can work wonders for restoring a youthful appearance. The lips, as well, flatten with age. Adding a touch of volume and definition to the lips can take years off of a woman's face.

Did you also know? Similarly, Botox is not reserved for the upper face. I frequently use a very small amount of Botox to smooth the skin around the lips and even to raise the corners of a downturned smile!

Prevelle

Did you know? There is a new dermal filler available called Prevelle, made by the Mentor corporation.

Prevelle has a number of advantages. Compared to other dermal fillers, Prevelle is more comfortable, and it is less expensive. It is made of hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in skin, similar to Juvederm Ultra and Restylane. It is designed, however, to last approximately as long as Botox treatments last, which is approximately three to six months.

So far, my patients love it! They report that it is much more comfortable being injected (it contains an anesthetic in the filler), and it is very smooth. Time will tell how long it lasts.

I see it as the ideal introductory filler. Since the cost is about half of the longer lasting fillers, it is not such a large initial investment. If you like the results, you can continue using it, or perhaps opt for a longer lasting filler, if desired. If you don't like the results (that's never happened in my practice!) it will wear off. Also, for those patients who think other products are uncomfortable being injected, this product causes much less discomfort.

Did you also know? Mentor also makes Puragen, a thicker product (like Juvederm Ultra Plus) but is not yet available in the United States.