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Mercy Medical Center dermatologist Dr. Oanh Lauring

Mercy Dermatologist Dr. Oanh Lauring Discusses Latisse For Building Stronger, Longer Eyelashes On WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor"

While the prescription drug Latisse is known to help women grow long eyelashes, there are some side effects, according to doctors.

Latisse is a prescription product that was developed from a glaucoma drug after doctors discovered people using the drug grew longer, darker lashes.

Margaret Ann Tierney said she had always wanted better eyelashes because hers were thin and sparse and she used a lot of product.

"I used a lash enhancer and then the mascara, and that would make it look fuller, but you had to buy two products. When you had no mascara on, it didn't look the same. You know, they were thin," she said.

Mercy Medical Center dermatologist Dr. Oanh Lauring said Latisse does what it promises to do.

"It's a prostaglandin analog, and although they don't know the exact mechanism, what they think it does is help to increase the number of what we call anagen hairs, which are the hairs growing at any given time," she said.

Dr. Lauring noted that there can be side effects to Latisse, the most common of which is eye irritation such as redness and itching. Less common side effects include a reversible darkening of the lower lash line, which some women said they don't mind.

"Although they haven't seen it in Latisse product, 1 to 4 percent of people using the glaucoma eye drops had an irreversible darkening of the iris -- the colored part of the eye," Dr. Lauring said.

Most people see longer, darker lashes in about four to six weeks. It took longer for Tierney, but she said she loves the result and knew it was working when her sister asked what mascara she was using.

"I saw the difference, but I didn't think it was that noticeable, and she said it looked really, really nice," Tierney said.

Dr. Lauring said she is using Latisse, too.

"When you have lashes, it opens up your eyes - you look more relaxed, more awake, more youthful - and that's why people want that look," she said.

Tierney said she did experience a little itching with Latisse but it went away.

The product is expensive - $120 for a bottle that will last for two to three months.

For more details and to watch Dr. Lauring's interview on WBAL, click on this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/21140249/detail.html.