✅ Medically reviewed by Dr Tom Walker – 20/05/2026

The history of Latisse begins not in the beauty industry but in ophthalmology.

Before it became known as an eyelash growth treatment, the active ingredient in Latisse was used as an eyedrop for glaucoma. Bimatoprost was designed to lower intraocular pressure but during medical use as an eyedrop, doctors and patients began noticing an interesting side effect – it was stimulating eyelashes to become longer, thicker and darker.

That observation changed the future of eyelash treatments.

Bimatoprost: The Glaucoma Medication Behind Latisse

Bimatoprost belongs to a class of medicines known as prostaglandin analogues. As a glaucoma treatment it works by helping the aqueous humour drain from the eye more effectively which lowers pressure inside the eye.

The original bimatoprost eyedrop was marketed under the brand name Lumigan. On the side of the box, it stated that eyelash growth was a possible side effect. Patients using bimatoprost for eye pressure were often growing noticeably fuller lashes.

This was not simply a conditioning effect. Bimatoprost appeared to influence the eyelash hair cycle itself by helping lashes stay in the active growth phase for longer.

It has since been globally recognised as an effective cosmetic treatment in its own right. The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes Latisse as an FDA approved prescription bimatoprost product that helps lengthen, thicken and darken eyelashes.

From Side Effect to Cosmetic Treatment

Once the effect on eyelash growth became clear researchers started to publish papers on bimatoprosts ability to stimulate hair growth. Some started to wonder whether it could be used to treat inadequate eyelashes, known medically as eyelash hypotrichosis.

Researchers working for Allergan, the company that made Lumigan, started to look into this and the result was Latisse, the US brand name for bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%.

In 2008 the US Food and Drug Administration approved Latisse for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. The official FDA label states that Latisse is indicated to increase eyelash growth including length, thickness and darkness.

This was an important moment. For the first time we had a clinically proven treatment that could be safely used to grow better eyelashes.

What the Clinical Trials Show

The clinical trial results were striking.

In the FDA trials for Latisse eyelashes became significantly longer, thicker and darker. These are the results that made Latisse so well known and helped establish bimatoprost as the only treatment that has been proven beyond doubt to grow eyelashes.

Longer term studies have also supported the safety and efficacy of bimatoprost when used on the eyelid margin for eyelash hypotrichosis. A 12-month study published in the British Journal of Dermatology concluded that daily bimatoprost 0.03% was effective and well tolerated in patients with idiopathic and chemotherapy-induced eyelash hypotrichosis. In this case idiopathic means there is no known reason for the individual having short eyelashes.

This evidence is one reason Latisse became so different from ordinary lash conditioners.

Dr Tom Walker and the Beginning of MyLash

The European story of the Latisse eyelash growth treatment is also part of the history of MyLash.

In 2007 Dr Tom Walker noticed that the glaucoma eyedrop Lumigan had a remarkable side effect – it could make eyelashes grow longer, thicker and darker.

Rather than seeing this as an inconvenient side effect he recognised it as a positive opportunity. If the same active ingredient could be used carefully and responsibly, it could help women who wanted better natural eyelashes. He knew that eyelash extensions were popular but brought with them problems, so why not use bimatoprost to grow your natural lashes?

That idea led to the creation of Mylash, the first company in Europe to offer a doctor led eyelash growth service using bimatoprost.

To convince his first clients that the treatment worked he used it himself but only on one eye. This demonstrated the profound effect of the treatment but left him looking like a character in the Clockwork Orange film!

From the beginning, Mylash was different from a beauty brand. It was created around medical supervision, prescription strength treatment and a serious understanding of eyelash growth biology.

Mylash Before the Lash Serum Boom

Today eyelash serums are everywhere. Beauty counters, online retailers and social media all promote products claiming to condition, strengthen or ‘improve the appearance’ of lashes.

But when Mylash began in 2007 it was very different.

By the time the wider market for over the counter lash conditioners and cosmetic lash serums became familiar to UK consumers Mylash had already been established as a doctor led, independently proven bimatoprost service.

That distinction still matters.

Lash serums that you can buy over the counter are cosmetic products. They may condition the hair, improve shine or reduce breakage, but they do not have the same proven status as bimatoprost.

Bimatoprost is medically active. It works at the follicle level.

Why Latisse Is Different From Ordinary Lash Serums

The main difference is evidence.

A cosmetic lash serum usually contains ingredients such as peptides, panthenol, plant extracts or conditioners. These may help the existing lash look healthier.

Latisse, Lumigan and the Mylash Growth Treatment are different because they all use bimatoprost 0.03%, the clinically studied active ingredient. In fact, the liquid inside the bottle of all brand names is exactly the same.

Bimatoprost changes the behaviour of the follicle. It prolongs the active growth phase, allowing lashes to grow longer before they naturally shed.

That is why Latisse is not simply a “lash serum” in the normal beauty sense. It is a prescription strength eyelash growth treatment that has been proven to work.

From Eyelashes to Eyebrows

The bimatoprost story did not stop with eyelashes.

Since the original Latisse approval studies have also examined Latisse for eyebrow growth. This is important because many women experience eyebrow thinning from over-plucking, age-related change, thyroid problems, chemotherapy or other causes.

Clinical studies have shown that bimatoprost can improve eyebrow density and thickness, which supports what we have seen at Mylash and Opti Laboratories over many years of practice.

This broader lash and brow expertise is now central to the work of Opti Laboratories, the group that MyLash forms part of.

MyLash and Opti Laboratories Today

MyLash is now part of the Opti Laboratories group which specialises in eyelash + eyebrow growth and advanced, scientific beauty treatments.

Our approach is still based on the same principle that led to the company being founded in 2007: real results should be grounded in science, medical supervision and proper patient selection.

We are not simply selling a cosmetic beauty trend. We are providing access to a treatment with a long medical background and a strong clinical evidence base.

That history is one of the reasons Mylash and Opti Laboratories remain trusted by women across the UK.

Is Latisse Safe Long Term?

No treatment should be described as risk free. Bimatoprost can cause side effects, with the most common being mild redness or irritation at the site of application. In our opinion and experience this is caused by applying too much liquid, so we provide detailed advice to help minimise the chance of this happening.

Bimatoprost has a long medical history. It has been used for glaucoma for many years and its safety has been studied extensively in both eye pressure treatment and its eyelash growth use.

A pooled long-term safety evaluation of bimatoprost 0.03% in glaucoma patients found a favourable safety and tolerability profile, while long-term eyelash studies have also supported its safety when applied correctly to the eyelid margin.

Latisse side effects are rare. This is reassuring for anyone considering the treatment but it is also why medical supervision matters. The treatment is applied close to the eye and it should be used correctly.

We have clients that have been using the treatment now for close to 20 years that are still happy with their long, natural lashes.

The Reassuring Conclusion

The history of Latisse is unusual.

A glaucoma medication produced an unexpected cosmetic benefit. That benefit was noticed, studied, tested and eventually approved in the United States as Latisse. In Europe, Dr Tom Walker recognised the same opportunity early and founded Mylash in 2007 as the first doctor led European service offering Latisse for eyelash growth.

Since then millions of people have used bimatoprost medically, and millions have used bimatoprost to grow longer, thicker and darker lashes.

The long term safety profile is now well established and the treatment remains the gold standard for women who want real eyelash growth rather than cosmetic conditioning alone.

For women in the UK who have heard of Latisse and want to understand its background, the key point is simple:

Latisse, Lumigan, bimatoprost and MyLash are all part of the same scientific story: the discovery that bimatoprost stimulates natural eyelash growth.

Read more:

• Lumigan for eyelash growth
• Will My GP Prescribe Latisse?
• About us
• Bimatoprost for eyelash growth
• Latisse: Once a day or twice a day?