[Trendzilla] Buy an Eyelash

A A A Comments By VICKIE CHANG Thursday, Aug 20 2009

Confession: I’ve got, like, five eyelashes.

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Okay. Maybe more than that—six, seven. Maybe.

So what’s a lashless gal to do? Use tons of mascara, making your eyelashes look spider-y, unnatural and gross? Cough. Trashy. Not to mention how brittle and dry your dwindling lashes will get. Besides, mascara isn’t going to enhance what’s not already there. Same goes with heating up the ol’ curler. Fake eyelashes? Pretty, annoying to apply and probably too dramatic for daytime use.

Recently, advertisements for a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis (not having enough eyelashes) have bombarded television, magazines and radio air waves. Latisse (bimatropost ophthalmic solution) is a once-a-day treatment that works by affecting the growth phase of the eyelash hair cycle; one applies the solution every evening to the base of the upper lashes. Reviews are positive, noting almost a doubling in eyelash thickness and length.

Sounds simple enough, right? And relatively free from side effects? Kind of.

Four percent of patients reported itchy and/or red eyes. And another possible little side effect the Latisse website (latisse.com) FAQ throws in there?

Since the FDA-approved Latisse is somewhat similar to other eye medications to treat eye-related diseases such as glaucoma, increased brown iris pigmentation might occur. Which means your sparkly emerald or crystal-blue eyes might just turn brown. Or get spots of brown. Permanently. The site also mentions the possibility of your eyelids darkening . . . but unlike your irises, that might be reversible.

Still sound worth it?

See your doctor, and it’s also recommended to get your eyes looked at by an optometrist first. A full month’s treatment will set you back $130, and to answer your question, the accelerated length and thickness will only last as long as you use Latisse. Ouch.

But if you’re not into taking such extreme measures (or, uh, risks with your genetic makeup), Ardell makes a highly sought-after Brow & Lash Growth Accelerator that you can find at most popular drugstores for $4. Apply it like mascara once or twice a day, and then sit back and wait. No weird iris-pigmentation issues with this one—but like all eye makeup, do make a point to not get this stuff on your eyeballs. It’s not by any means an overnight-miracle product, but more often than not, the reviews, including my own, have raved on and on about thicker, longer lashes and even some new lashes making their way in. Ardell’s Brow & Lash Growth Accelerator is also a great aid for those who tend to get a bit tweezer-happy, supposedly even able to patch up bald spots left behind by scars. Can’t beat that for $4: No doctor’s office, no skin hyperpigmentation, and you get to hang on to those pretty blue eyes.

vchang@ocweekly

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