A medication for glaucoma will soon be prescribed to patients who do not have glaucoma because of one of its unique side effects – longer, thicker eyelashes. Over the past decade a new eye drop medication called a prostaglandin analog is being used and rapidly become the first line of defense for treating glaucoma, a progressive eye disease that initially causes loss of peripheral vision and leads to blindness. As with every medication there are side effects. The primary side effects of prostaglandin analogs are increased ocular redness, allergic reaction, a change in the color of the iris, and longer, thicker eyelashes.

Allergan recently announced it has received approval by the FDA for a new prescription medication called Latisse (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% to be used in the treatment of hypotrichosis, which simply means having too few eyelashes. This medication has the exact same active ingredient and concentration as Allergan’s glaucoma eye drop Lumigan (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03%, but will be applied in a different way. Latisse is the first treatment ever approved by the FDA that has been clinically proven to increase the length, thickness, and darkness of eyelashes.

Latisse will be applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a sterile, single-use applicator each night after the face has been cleaned and makeup removed. According to the Latisse website, users of Latisse can expect to experience longer, thicker, and darker eyelashes in as little as four weeks and full results in 16 weeks. After full results have been achieved users will have to continue a daily application of Latisse or else experience a gradual return to a pre-treatment state over a period of weeks or months.

The goal of most glaucoma medications is to lower intraocular pressure, which slows glaucoma progression. Side effects on the label on Latisse will include lower intraocular pressure, while the label on Lumigan lists “growth of eyelashes” as a side effect. The good news is that with healthy eyes lower intraocular pressure is preferable to higher intraocular pressure and use of the Latisse product could reduce a person’s risk for glaucoma damage, though it will certainly not be recommended or prescribed for that purpose. The most common side effects after using Latisse are redness or itching in the eyes, which was reported in approximately 4% of patients. Other side effects may include possibly darkening of the iris in the eye or permanent darkening of the skin where Latisse is applied, though the prior did not occur during trials.

Although the medical diagnosis in which Latisse is being recommended is “hypotrichosis,” you can bet that the primary use will be purely cosmetic and heavily marketed to women. According to the Latisse website this product does not replace mascara, but the two will serve to complement one another.

You can expected to see information on the product soon, as it will be launched nationwide in the first quarter of 2009. If you are interested in Latisse you should talk with your family Optometrist. More information about Latisse can be found at www.latisse.com.

Cosmetic surgeries are increasingly becoming the number one method of acheiving a beauty standard. Many women and a significant amount of men are getting cosmetic surgery done.

Cosmetic surgery is a procedure that is being done by women of all ages and a growing number of men who want to look their absolute best. Among the many cosmetic procedures being performed chin liposuction is one of the simplest cosmetic procedures that you can have done.

When seeking to have chin liposuction done you need to make sure that the plastic surgeon that you have chosen is board certified. Chin liposuction is a way that many have decided to remove the pocket of fat that is located under the chin and jawline. Chin liposuction can eliminate excess fat or sagging skin of the upper neck to create a sleek defined attractive jawline. Most people workout endlessly trying to decrease that fat pocket under the chin so that they can have that chiseled look that comes with good bone structure. A method that is being used to help many people acheive this desired look is the tumescent technique. This is a method that requires a small incision under the chin located where it is almost undetected.

The tumescent technique pumps a saline solution below the skin in the area to be suctioned. This solution is a salt saline and a local anestetic is used to numb the area that is being suctioned, and the fat deposits are removed through small tubes called microcannulas. This procedure can be performed with other asthetic procedures. Because of the relatively safe method of removing fat under the chin, the tumescent is becoming a highly pouplar method; however no surgery is without risk and one should always make sure the cosmetic surgeon is licensed and board certified.

When patients are undergoing this procedure they are given a local anesthetic, after the procedure is completed a light elastic wrap is used for a few days around the face. There is minor bruising but recovery is quick and the patient should be able to do normal duties within a few days.

Skincare can be an easy daily part of your routine if you make a simple and effective plan and stick to it. There is no way to get healthy skin unless you put time aside to care for your skin, just like you cant expect to have a beautiful flower garden without planned work and care of it. So what are some important aspects of a routine for healthy skin?

First- Determine what skin type yours is. There are 4 major skin types- Oily, Normal, Dry or Combination.

Oily skin types struggle because they have too much the oil your skin needs to stay healthy. Their battle is monitoring the levels of moisture on their face. Normal skin although called normal is actual more rare. It has a good place of oils and only struggles occasionally with oil levels. This skin type needs to make sure they face wash is very mild and isnt adding unnecessary moisture to their skin.

Dry skin is just that, dry. There isnt enough of the helpful oil in their pores and so in order to keep a healthy appearance they need to incorporate lotions.

And Combination skin has patches of both oily and dry. They may need lotion in one area of their face and not in others.

Once you have determined which skin type you are you need to find a face wash that will give your skin what it needs. Be sure to plan a time daily when you can wash your face but make sure you are only doing it once a day. It is hard on your skin if you are constantly stripping everything from it 2 or 3 times a day.

Be cautious in how you treat your zits and blemishes. Yes they are a visible problem but you have to remember that they are very sensitive. Picking at them will only harm them more and turn them into permanent scars. Instead find a cream that will dry them out and apply that regularly. It will keep you skin from unnecessary scars and pock marks.

Finally be sure to apply sunscreen to your skin regularly. The sun is the strongest enemy of your skin it is really harsh and a daily habit of applying a low SPF sunscreen will give you skin the protection it needs. The effects of the sun arent often seen until later years but if you start now you will be ahead then.

Up till now, there was no way to actually increase the growth of your eyelashes. The Allergan company recently introduced a new drug called Latisse, which is clinically proven to grow eye lashes longer, thicker and darker.

Latisse is applied to the upper eyelid only. Results were seen after 8 weeks of application, with full growth after 16 weeks. Eyelashes grew 25% longer, 106% thicker and 18% darker. Try that using mascara!

In the clinical study 140 members out of 280, used Latisse for 16 weeks. Applied to the upper eyelid only, Latisse was well tolerated by the group. Latisse is not recommended for use on the lower eyelashes.

Latisse will be sold by prescription only. It will probably not be covered by insurance plans, unless prescribed for a specific medical condition, like hypotrichosis. It is expected to cost about $120.00 for a 30 day supply, ( which includes 60 single use applicators).

3.6% of the members of the study reported eye itching. No other side effects were noted. There is some concern green and hazel eyes might become permanently darkened. The upper eyelid also might be affected by becoming darker.

Allergan is the company that has great success with Botox. It hopes to have a another home-run with Latisse. When Lumigan ( a drug developed to treat glaucoma) produced a side effect of longer thicker eye lashes, Latisse was then created. Some side effects noted with Lumigan were darkening of the eyelid and permanent darkening of the iris. The active ingredient of both drugs is Bimatoprost. Latisse uses only a 5% solution, so that no darkening of iris or eyelids is expected. Plus the fact, Latisse is applied to the lash itself, not in the eye like Lumigan.

Eye lash follicles last about 4 to 5 months. So when you stop using Latisse, your lash length will gradually reduce as old lashes fall out to be replaced by normal ones.

No more false eyelashes or extensions for you! Latisse can grow your own eyelashes longer and thicker. The only FDA approved drug that can do this.

Today’s beauty salons can potentially offer a far greater variety of services than they could in the past. Nowadays, you can visit a high street salon for beauty treatments or even a salon that is based in another kind of business such as in a department store, a spa hotel or a gym.

It is also relatively common for related beauty businesses such as hairdressers to lease out part of their business premises to a beauty practitioner. So, for example, your local hairdresser may also have a nail technician or a facial therapist available on site.

The services that you can access in a beauty salon also vary from salon to salon. Most regular salons here will offer a core set of ‘beauty’ services such as beauty and cosmetic treatments. So, for example, you could use a beauty salon for a facial treatment, a make over, eyebrow shaping or to have a manicure or pedicure. In many cases the treatments available to you will depend on the therapists employed by/working from the salon.

It is also quite common to find tanning services on offer in many beauty salons. Your options here can range from sun beds and tanning pods through to less harmful and natural services such as spray tans and all over tans.

Nowadays many beauty salons often also offer complementary services that may have a more health bias than a beauty one. This is particularly common with salons in hotel spas or that operate as part of a larger health and beauty business.

So, for example, a beauty salon owner could employ trained masseuses and people trained in a variety of natural treatments and remedies. This could see you also visit your local beauty salon for a mud bath and hot stones treatment, an acupuncture session and a treatment by a homoeopathist.

It is vital to make sure that any treatments that you have at a beauty salon are administered by qualified and experienced specialists. This may seem more important with some kinds of treatments than others (for example, you wouldn’t want an acupuncture treatment by somebody who wasn’t qualified in this field) but it is actually important for most beauty treatments.

Even a simple mistake such as over plucking your eyebrows or setting a tanning bed at the wrong temperature can actually have quite a negative effect. Some mistakes here may simply be of a cosmetic nature and may be remedied or will disappear over time. But, some could have negative effects on your health. So, do check on the training and experience of anyone treating you in a beauty salon.

Do bear in mind, on the other hand, that you can often save money in the cost of your chosen beauty treatments by agreeing to have them done by a trainee who is learning their trade here. This should not be a problem as long as they are monitored and guided by more experienced personnel and you feel comfortable working with them.