Consumer Reports Suggests To Blink Twice Before Using Latisse Lash Lengthener

Want longer, lusher eyelashes?

Then do what actress/model Brooke Shields does:

Use prescription Latisse.

We've said time and time again, when an attractive celebrity endorses a beauty product, chances are, the product sells big time!

And Allergan, the makers of Latisse, and the same clever folks who brought you Botox, are expected to rake in more than $500 million a year.

But a little public relations nightmare is brewing on the horizon. The FDA is not amused with Allergan, which has glamorized their ads and website, and skipped over the potential side effects. Some of which include:

Increased iris pigmentation (ie, change in eye color)
Hair growth in areas other than the treatment area
Risk of infection from applicator
Risk of bacterial contamination for contact lens wearers
Eye itching and redness

And now the well-respected Consumer Reports Health Blog is also blasting the Latisse makers for glossing over the expensive prescription drug (about $100 a month) and its misleading promotions with the very recognizable Brooke Shields.

Associate editor Jamie Kopf Hirsh said this:

"Every drug we’ve profiled in our AdWatch project is appropriate for some people, including Latisse, and some are potentially lifesaving. What we take issue with, is taking a legitimate medical condition and broadening its definition to the point where it could apply to almost anyone—often with a clever acronym like ED, PAD, or RLS to make it sound more common than it is. (We’re surprised Allergan, the maker of Latisse, hasn’t given a nickname to eyelash hypotrichosis, like Hy-Tri or something.)".

We didn't know that Brooke Shields actually uses Latisse, but she does. According to CR's Jamie Kopf Hirsh, the popular actress "has suffered from the disease of eyelash inadequacy." But a representative for Brooke did not indicate how long she has had this condition. The rep. did, however, confirm that Brooke started using Latisse in February 2009, “after consulting with a doctor who determined she was an appropriate candidate for treatment with LATISSE,” and that she is still using it.

BeautyTipToday first wrote about Latisse in our February 6th article. The product was just getting ready to launch. You can get further details there.

Meantime, dermatologists say the Latisse prescription drug is quite popular. And there are a number of women who truly suffer from weak lashes or lashes that never grow. And many women are willing to take a chance on growing longer, lusher lashes, because the serum really works wonders.

The Allergan makers are trying to correct problems in how they portray Latisse in ads, at the Latisse website. And Allergan is reportedly working with the FDA on this.

Stay tuned to this beauty news. In the meantime, why not try a non-prescription lash/brow thickener like Osmotics' FNS Nutrilash ($48, 28 applications).

Promotes fuller, thicker, healthier more beautiful lashes and brows
All natural, patented formula strengthens and conditions
Provides essential nutrients for maximum growth
Non-irritating/ocular tested - Hygenic, single dose applicators

The FNS Nutrilash also really works---safely and effectively. For more details, visit: Osmotics.