Viewer Mail: Is Revitalash comparable to Latisse anymore?

On a recent blog post regarding Latisse, we received the following comment:

" I understand that Doctors sell Latisse to make money. What I don't understand is why anyone would pay $120.00 (my OB/GYN sells it) for this product when there are OTC products that do the exact same thing (in the same timeframe) for less money. I use Revitalash (it was developed by an eye doctor) and got longer (even curlier) lashes in 9 weeks. I was hesitant to try any of these products, but am so glad I did. Lashes make such a difference to the face. I get lot of comments, mostly people want to know what mascara I use. Needless to say, Revitalash is good option to the pricey and risky Latisse."

Both Revitalash and Jan Marini’s Age Intervention Eyelash Conditioner used to contain bimatoprost, the active ingredient in Latisse. Thus, it is true that older formulations of these 2 products would be expected to produce results somewhat like those seen with the Allergan product.

However, neither of those 2 products underwent the rigors of an FDA safety and efficacy trial as was done with Latisse. Thus, one could never guarantee the same results for those 2 products as can be expected from Latisse. Having said that, after Allergan’s lawsuit to prevent other companies from using their product, neither Revitalash nor Age Intervention now contain the active Allergan ingredient that leads to luxurious eyelashes.

There are undoubtedly still some older versions of these products available. However former users of these products cannot expect the newly formulated Revitalash and Jan Marini’s Age Intervention to produce the same results as Allergan’s Latisse.

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Skin Laser Surgery Specialists of NY/NJ

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Sanctuary Plastic Surgery, Boca Raton

A new twist on Latisse, and more from the Annual Cosmetic Dermatology Meeting

I have just returned from co-directing the Annual Cosmetic Dermatology-Santa Monica Meeting. The meeting, directed by me and Dr. Christopher Zachary, Chairperson of Dermatology at the University of California –Irvine, was highlighted by discussions about 1) Dysport – the new competitor to Botox; 2) new techniques for body contouring; 3) novel approaches for the use of wrinkle fillers; 4) the benefits of cosmetic camouflage; 5) nuances of Latisse, the new eyelash enhancer; and 6) a look at the aging process of the face.

Dysport, the newly FDA approved wrinkle relaxer, will be available to US physicians over the next month. Based on the European experience with this product, US physicians are expected to embrace the new Botox competitor. In Europe, Dysport has been very popular for both wrinkles and excess sweating. Of note, the amounts to be injected are different than Botox. Patients will need to be certain injections are undertaken by experts so as to receive the appropriate response while lessening the chance of complications.

Cryolipolysis by Zeltiq, Focused Ultrasound by UltraShape and Liposonix (Medicis) are all expected to have a major impact on non-invasive body contouring. Although the results do not appear as profound as those seen with surgery, the non-surgical nature of these techniques should make them highly popular. What is not at all clear is when the FDA will approve these methods.

Wrinkle fillers are commonly used for smile lines. However the meeting focused on the use of such fillers for creating 1) a more natural lip appearance and 2) gently lifting droopy eyebrows. However, with any technique some bruising is possible. Dr. Howard Steinman, an expert in cosmetic mineral based camouflage techniques, taught attendees how to hide injection induced bruising.

We also learned some of the nuances of Latisse, the newly FDA approved eyeliner enhancer. It seems that although life-long use is required to keep eyelashes thick, the daily applications initially required may not be required with time. Finally, Dr. Val Lampros, a California based plastic surgeon, gave a fascinating lecture on the 3 dimensional changes that occur in all of our faces over the course of our lives. By understanding this, techniques for cosmetic improvement will continue to improve.

The meeting was highly educational. Santa Monica was fun. I will be back there again in a year.

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Sanctuary Plastic Surgery, Boca Raton

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Skin Laser Surgery Specialists of NY/NJ

Here Comes Latisse

We've blogged about it here and here, and Natasha Singer of the NY Times is also on the scene, with today's article "Love the Long Eyelashes. Who's Your Doctor?"

The article cites annual revenue estimates for Allergan's upcoming eye-lash lengthening drug Latisse, ranging from $80 million in 2012 (via Gary Nachman of Leerink Swan), to $500 million "long-term" (coming from Allergan CEO David Pyott).

The meat of the article comes here:

"Allergan held a clinical trial with about 280 volunteers, half of whom used Latisse daily for 16 weeks. The study results were reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration, which approved the drug in late December. In that study, eyelashes typically grew 25 percent longer, 106 percent thicker and 18 percent darker. While 3.6 percent of patients experienced eye itching and red eyes, none had a change of eye color, Allergan said."

Stay tuned for more on this... articles like this hint that Latisse may become a household name next to Botox someday.

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center
Skin and Laser Surgery Specialists of New York/New Jersey

Update: Latisse approved by the FDA

To update a previous blog item, the eye-lash booster Latisse has been approved by the FDA. Expect to see it being sold in cosmetic practices sometime in February.

To recap, Latisse was originally a glaucoma drug called Lumigan, which has been in use for the last seven years. Patients reported side effects of enhanced eyelashes, which led Allergan to explore cosmetic applications for the drug. This is similar to Botox's birth as a treatment for excessive blinking that happened to smooth nearby wrinkles.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center
Skin and Laser Surgery Specialists of New York/New Jersey