We all want luscious lashes which are thick, dark, and long. Who doesn’t like it? People have been able to obtain this since the introduction of eyelash serums. But what about the negative consequences? Can these lash serums really help you grow longer lashes without any negative effect?
To begin, what is eyelash serum?
These serums can help eyelashes grow longer and thicker; most of them can be bought without a doctor’s note, and there is one FDA-approved serum which needs doctor’s prescription. Click here to see the list of over-the-counter eyelash serums and their reviews. This FDA-approved serum actually is a glaucoma drop that ophthalmologists have been using to keep intraocular pressure in the patients under control for years. Lumigan is the glaucoma drop variant of this serum, and bimatoprost is the generic name. It is a prostaglandin analogue, and Xalatan and Travatan are glaucoma drops in the same class.
Many of doctors saw that when we treated patients with glaucoma in one eye, their lashes became unusually long, and the corporation ultimately realized this and repatented the exact same medication as an eyelash growth serum. Due to the fact that most studies on eye color darkening and lash serums are based on glaucoma drop trials, it is vital to understand this background. That is, the drop was placed inside the eye rather than on the lash line.
Lashes serums should not darken blue eyes. The following are some of the eye hues that change when you use lash serum:
- Gray-brown
- Hazel
- Green
- Green-brown
- Yellow-brown
- Blue/Gray
Latanoprost, the original prostaglandin glaucoma drop, was used in all of the early investigations. The lighter-colored peripheral iris darkened as a result of latanoprost treatment, resulting in a more evenly brown tint. Any subject with a consistently blue or brown iris color at baseline did not experience iris color darkening.
Synthetic prostaglandin analogs are included in even beauty lash serums. This is something that the majority of people are unaware of. Here is a rundown of some of the most common lash serum ingredients.
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Iris color
The amount of melanin (melanosomes) within iris stromal melanocytes determines iris color, not the number of melanocytes. Here is a quick illustration of the differences between blue, green, and brown eyes.
Because blue eyes lack melanin, the lash serum has no effect on their appearance. The exact mechanism is not known. It was examined in monkeys and rabbits, and the results were extended to humans.
The fact that the iris darkening has no negative side effects is reassuring. Also, if you have an iris freckle or mole, your lash serum should not make it worse. However, I’m quite sure none of my hazel/green-eyed buddies want their eyes to darken.
The following is a list of prostaglandin glaucoma drops that have been demonstrated to improve iris pigmentation:
- latanoprost (Xalatan)
- travoprost (Travatan)
- isopropyl unoprostene
- bimatoprost (Lumigan)
What about the beauty lash serums you may buy at the drugstore? Can they change the color of your eyes? The only difference is that these have not been FDA-approved. As a result, they are unable to claim that they “grow lashes.” Most of these serums will state something like “enhances the appearance of lashes” or “get fuller, longer, thicker lashes,” but they cannot claim “grows lashes.”
The benefit of not having FDA approval for these enterprises is that they are not required to disclose negative effects. So, just though your Lash Boost packaging does not indicate “causes skin darkening,” be aware that it could.
Prostaglandin Lash Serums Side Effects:
- Darkening of the Skin
- Irritation of the eyes
- Darkening of the Eyes
- Inflammation of the eyes (uveitis)
- Swelling of the retina
- Lid drooping and fat atrophy
If you have macular edema or uveitis, a serum with prostaglandin is not for you, therefore It is better to steer clear of the beauty brands. And, except from something like coconut oil, which won’t really encourage lashes to grow anyway, any of the side effects listed on the serums which include prostaglandin packaging, may happen in a beauty lash serum as well.
