Answer: LATISSE® can only promote existing growth, not trigger new growth. Using LATISSE can be great for improving the thickness and fullness of the lashes that you already have. However, it's not intended to help lashes grow where none currently exist, or help absent lashes grow back.
"If it works on scalp hair at all (and this hasn't been definitively proven), it will only be able to thicken existing, working hair follicles." Basically: If you already have a bald patch, Latisse can't help you there.
Studies, though limited, show that Latisse works for increasing hair density on the scalp—it won't make you grow new hair (few things will), but it thickens existing hair, which is great if you're thinning.
Latisse for treatment of alopecia
Applied once daily for 16 weeks, the medication helps make eyelashes thicker and longer. Since Latisse helps hair grow, a number of people suffering from thinning scalp hair or hair loss have wondered if it will work on their heads. The answer is yes, in some cases.
Latisse and Scalp Hair
Firstly Latisse promotes the growth of active hair follicles, but it's ineffective when used on follicles that have stopped growing hair. The skin on the scalp is thicker than the skin around the eyes, meaning that much more product would need to be applied to reach the targeted hair follicles.
Unwanted Hair Growth: Latisse not only makes the eyelashes longer but can also stimulate hair growth in whichever part of the skin that has come in contact with the product. There have been reports of hair growing on the cheeks and eyelids, indicating that facial areas have been frequently exposed to the solution.
Treatment options for hair loss are limited, with the leading treatment being Minoxidil, well known as Rogaine. Latisse works because of its active ingredient, bimatoprost. While the exact mechanism is unknown, bimatoprost is thought to affect eyelashes in their growth phase.
Eyelash Serum To The Rescue
The best thing you can do at this point is to invest in a bottle of daily eyelash serum. Eyelash growth serum was what helped me nourish and repair my lashes, leaving them stronger, thicker and fuller in as little as 4-8 weeks.
Based on these clinical trial results, BIM appears to be effective for hair regrowth in scalp alopecia. Topical application is the most appropriate method for alopecia treatment because it limits potential side effects, such as unwanted hair growth in other areas, and interactions with other drugs.
To date, it appears minoxidil and Latisse are equally effective. A small 16 week study from 2012 compared results in 27 patients who were applying Latisse to one brow and minoxidil to the other. In the minoxidil group, the eyebrow hair of 51.85% of patients (14 ⁄ 27) was evaluated to be slightly increased.
Recently, many have begun to experiment with Latisse on their eyebrows. Just like eyelashes, eyebrows can, unfortunately, grow to be sparse and thin as your body ages. Though Latisse is only FDA-approved for the upper eyelashes, many have found great success with also using Latisse to regrow over-plucked eyebrows.
It lengthens the growth cycle, so in the eyelashes and in the eyebrows, it could grow the hair that you have longer, but it won't grow new hair.”
Can Male Pattern Baldness be Reversed? Male pattern baldness has no cure, but hair loss may be temporary where the hair eventually grows back. For men who have experienced hair loss, treatments like finasteride and minoxidil can help stop hair loss and, in rare cases, stimulate hair regrowth.
Unfortunately, male and female pattern baldness is not reversible without surgical intervention. However, if detected early enough, certain medications, such as minoxidil, finasteride, and Dutasteride can help halt the progression of thinning hair.
The patches of hair loss can grow larger. Sometimes, the patches grow larger and become one large bald spot.
You may have underlying medical conditions
"If you notice missing patches of eyelashes, it can be from an autoimmune condition called alopecia areata that can cause inflammation at the hair follicle, resulting in hair or eyelash loss," she tells Allure. According to Mraz Robinson, hormones can also play a role.
It's natural to wonder if they will ever grow back. But, just like hair on your head, eyelashes grow, fall out, and regrow again in a natural cycle.
Fill In Missing Eyelashes With Eyeliner
I suggest using a water-resistant, felt tip eyeliner and slowly filling in the bare skin to achieve the best results. The result is a fuller looking, more defined lash line.
Massaging the scalp can be done with hair oils and masks to stimulate the scalp and possibly make the hair thicker. Massage is also known to improve the health of the scalp and blood flow.
Answer: Latisse forever
You may use it 3 nights a week for maintenance and darkness of the lashes. As to using Latisse indefinitely, as long as you have not experienced any of the Latisse side effects and you are using it as prescribed, then you should be able to continue using Latisse just as needed.
Do not use LATISSE® if you are allergic to one of its ingredients. If you use/used prescription products for eye pressure problems, use LATISSE® under doctor care. May cause brown darkening of the colored part of the eye which is likely permanent. LATISSE® may cause eyelid skin darkening which may be reversible.