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Is Latisse Available in Doctors' Offices?
Yes. Latisse (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) has been FDA-approved and widely available since 2009, both through plastic surgery and dermatology offices and by prescription at pharmacies. It's used to grow longer, fuller, darker eyelashes over several weeks of nightly application to the upper lash line. Because it's a prescription medication, you'll need an evaluation to make sure it's appropriate for you. Patients with certain eye conditions, particularly a history of elevated eye pressure or glaucoma, should discuss this with their prescriber first, since bimatoprost can lower intraocular pressure and in rare cases cause iris or eyelid skin darkening. In our practice in Dublin, California we still see steady interest in it, mostly from patients also considering eyelid or brow procedures. If you're curious whether it's right for you, a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist is the best next step.
Clinical Context
Eyelash follicles cycle through growth, transition, and rest phases much like scalp hair, but on a shorter timeline, with each lash spending only a few weeks in active growth before shedding. Bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analog that appears to prolong that growth phase and increase the share of follicles producing hair at any given moment. That's why results build slowly over weeks rather than appearing overnight: no new follicles are created, existing ones are simply kept active longer. It also explains why lashes gradually return to baseline once treatment stops, since the follicle cycle resets without the drug maintaining it.
