Long for long, lush lashes? Latisse promises just that. Developed by Allergan, it’s the only FDA-approved, prescription treatment proven to lengthen and thicken eyelashes, delivering growth of up to 25 percent in four months.

Latisse also is known as bimatoprost and essentially is a prostaglandin drug used as eye drops to control the progression of glaucoma and manage ocular hypertension. Doctors noticed that their glaucoma patients soon were returning with longer, thicker eyelashes and realized that the drug could be reformulated for the cosmetic market. After a series of successful clinical trials, the FDA approved bimatoprost for the cosmetic use of darkening and lengthening eyelashes.

Despite its proven efficacy and safety, a few myths and misconceptions surrounding the use of Latisse have surfaced:

• Latisse will change a user’s eye color: In 1 to 2 percent of glaucoma patients using bimatoprost, reports of an irreversible darkening of the iris has been reported. However, it was not seen in any of the initial clinical trials of Latisse involving some 300 patients. The difference is in the formulations for the two uses and in the way the drug is used. Glaucoma patients use it as a drop applied directly to the eye. For cosmetic use, however, it is instead applied with a brush onto the skin at the base of the top lash line. This method exposes the surface of the eye to only a small amount of the drug. While the most concern seems to come from prospective users with blue eyes, they actually are the group least at risk for discoloration of the iris. That’s because any change in color comes from bimatoprost increasing the amount of melanin in the melanosomes, which are extremely limited in blue-eyed patients.
• Latisse will cause hair growth in odd places: A small portion – less than four percent – of Latisse users have reported tiny hairs growing in unintended areas, particularly just below the eye or on the cheeks. This typically occurs when a user applies too much of the solution. Unintended hair growth is completely reversible and easily avoidable by using Latisse as directed.
• Eyelash extensions are safer: Not so. In fact, eyelash extensions can pose a number of health risks that you won’t face with Latisse. These include allergic reactions from ingredients such as formaldehyde used in both adhesives and solvents used to remove eyelash extensions; bacterial and fungal infections; irritation to the conjunctiva (the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids) or cornea (the transparent layer forming the front of the eye); and traction alopecia, a condition wherein tension placed on the hair shaft damages the hair follicle. This not only causes existing lashes to fall out, but can slow or even cease the production and growth of new lashes.

Latisse has proven safe and effective for tens of thousands of satisfied patients. To find out how it can help give you darker, fuller, longer and younger-looking lashes, call 904-396-1186 and schedule a consultation at Jacksonville’s Parkway Plastic Surgery today.

It’s that time again! The close of one year is the perfect opportunity to reflect and reassess multiple facets of your life and to set goals, make plans and implement changes for the year ahead. Topping the vast majority of New Year’s resolution lists is the commitment to get healthier, whether via losing weight, exercising more, eating more nutritiously or simply de-stressing. If you aim for a vibrant new look in 2016, we suggest you begin with your skin.

The best way to step up your skincare routine in the coming year is to learn more about the quality and efficacy of the products you choose. Just like a mechanic’s wrench or an artist’s paintbrush, the skincare tools you use can make real difference in your results. To achieve the best results possible, experts recommend skipping store-bought products and committing instead to a high quality, medical grade skincare regimen. Here’s why:

1. Medical grade products, those available only through a dermatologist office or medical spa under the supervision of a physician, have a higher concentration of active ingredients than do products sold over the counter (OTC) at grocery, department and convenience stores or online. The proof is in the list of ingredients printed on product labels. The higher on the list an ingredient appears, the higher its concentration in the finished product. A quick check of ingredient lists on OTC products will reveal that many are made mostly of water or other non-active fillers that do little or nothing for your skin.
2. While OTC skincare products are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat only the uppermost surface layer of the skin, medical grade products are formulated to reach deeper dermal layers, treating various skin conditions at their root.
3. Because they’re developed by scientists and physicians, and prescribed or administered by highly trained doctors, nurses and aestheticians who know your unique skincare needs, medical grade skincare products offer you a far higher degree of confidence. They’re backed by proven science and clinical studies that reveal just how effective particular products have been for other patients.

Of course, medical grade products will cost you a bit more than lesser quality OTC options. But your complexion is far more than a physical calling card. In fact, your skin is your body’s largest organ and its first line of defense against environmental toxins. Plus, you’re worth it.

Commit to boosting your skin’s health in 2016. Get a beautiful start to the new year by calling 904-396-1186 to schedule a consultation with Jacksonville’s Parkway Plastic Surgery today.

Beautiful eyes and a great smile are among the first facial features noticed by the opposite sex. But when it comes to self-awareness, many people find themselves fixated on the centermost feature – the nose. In fact, statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows that some 217,000 people in the United States underwent nose reshaping procedures in 2014, making it the second most common cosmetic surgery that year.

Among the top reasons for undergoing a rhinoplasty procedure are:

1. Repairing a broken nose: Contact sports, falls and automobile accidents are among the top causes of a broken or fractured nose. This can leave one with a crooked appearance and trouble breathing.
2. Correcting a breathing issue: If you snore loudly, suffer chronic sinus infections or frequently have trouble breathing, a deviated septum or other nasal deformity may be to blame.
3. Minimizing the signs of aging: As you age, gravity can affect the appearance of your nose in much the same way it causes your cheeks to sag, eyelids to hood and skin beneath the chin to loosen. It can pull the tissue of the nose downward, causing the tip to droop and take on a bulbous look. Also, as facial volume depletes and your cheeks lose definition, you nose may appear bigger.
4. Self-esteem boost: Results of multiple studies show that that surgery enhancing the shape and size of the nose can an help improve self-esteem. Such a confidence boost can go a long way in improving one’s quality of life.

If you’re considering nose reshaping surgery, call 904-396-1186 and schedule a consultation with a rhinoplasty specialist at Jacksonville’s Parkway Plastic Surgery.