Your eyes are precious, so it’s only natural that you’d want to do your online research on all the options available for eyelash growth or enhancement phase. Who wouldn’t want that perfect combination to grow safe, effective, easy to order, and low-priced eyelashes? The effects could really wind up those eyelashes a bit for them to grow.

A lash growth serum that can deliver all those things seems like it would be a dream product at a low cost!

But buyer beware—sometimes things online that seem too good to be true, really ARE too good to be true, which would cost the consumer. Let’s take a closer look at buying authentic brand-name Latisse vs. a generic lash growth treatment.

1. What is the Latisse Difference in Pharmaceutical Companies?

Latisse eyelash growth serum (bimatoprost 0.03%) is manufactured in Waco, TX by the pharmaceutical company Allergan, which originally developed it. Allergan put it through extensive clinical testing and reporting, finally earning Latisse the distinction of being the first and only FDA-approved growth treatment for thinning lashes. It was and has always been a prescription product, subject to the federal and state regulations that oversee prescription treatments for the public’s safety.

Authentic Latisse is factory-sealed by Allergan and marked with a lot number and expiration date, and it is distributed only through physician’s offices, medical spas, and pharmacies—in other words, businesses with the medical or pharmaceutical licenses that allow them to dispense prescription products. In order to offer it on their websites, those businesses must meet strict regulations in every state in which they sell Latisse online for customers to buy. It may take a few extra steps to buy Latisse online legally with valid prescription treatment, but you’ll always know what you’re getting.

2. What is the Meaning Behind “Generic Latisse” Really All About?

What about so-called “generic Latisse”? Here’s an interesting fact: Before December of 2016, there was no online legally-available FDA-approved generic equivalent to Latisse at all. Many products available on the online web market themselves as “generic Latisse” or “generic bimatoprost”, but that’s misleading—they are products that contain bimatoprost, the active ingredient in Latisse (and in glaucoma medications like Lumigan), but they aren’t approved for safe and effective eyelash growth and may not have received any outside oversight at all. That means that you simply don’t know if it’s safe to buy, what treatment you’re applying to your eyes, or how the product was formulated.

Another danger to look out for is the seller! Websites that claim to sell approved Latisse or a generic Latisse drug equivalent without a prescription (and often from an unknown brand at an extraordinarily low price) are often selling counterfeit products that don’t work at all, or unregulated formulas that may not be safe to use or buy online. There is no identical product to Latisse that is available without a prescription—anyone selling one that way is selling illegally. Simply put: You can’t buy Latisse or anything like it on Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, Overstock.com, or any other discount no-prescription treatment website to grow eyelashes.

3. How to Spot Bad Products: Overseas Production = Less Oversight

Even when generics are produced and imported to the US in compliance with regulations, problems can arise. Part of what makes it possible to sell generic drugs at a lower price is that the manufacturers use active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) sourced overseas.

FDA oversight is more difficult outside the US; there are many fewer inspectors assigned to foreign countries, and inspectors must announce their visits well ahead of time (in the US, FDA inspections are usually unannounced in order to prevent manufacturers from trying to hide problems). Many large foreign pharmaceutical companies in India and China have had serious violations of FDA regulations, including unsanitary factory conditions and deleting quality control test results that showed issues with drugs that had been shipped out.

4. How to Protect Yourself from Bad or Illegal Online Products?

What can you do to protect yourself from fake or harmful effects of lash growth products? This is something that is usually ignored when buying from a brand, but it’s something to consider to avoid the cost of any detrimental effects.

First, realize that there’s no safe and legal shortcut to getting prescription-strength treatment products without a prescription. Because Latisse and legal generic versions are approved for cosmetic use, it usually just takes a day or two to buy a prescription and place an order with a legitimate seller backed by a pharmacy or physician. Here at SkinSolutions, we are licensed to offer telemedicine consultations with our owner and medical director, Dr. Vishal Verma, in 45 states. The consultation and prescription are included in the price of your Latisse purchase.

Second, investigate the site you’re going to buy from. Look them up on Legit Script to see if they’re certified as a valid online pharmacy or if they’ve been designated a rogue pharmacy at the time. SkinSolutions.MD is proud to have done the work to be awarded a LegitScript certification, showing our clients that we take their safety and peace of mind seriously.

Third, know what you’ll buy. Research the product, the drug effects, the manufacturer, and even the packaging to ensure that what you’re getting is produced by a reputable company and in compliance with the law. Keep in mind that when you do buy a name brand, you’re not just “paying for a designer label”—you’re getting the benefit of the brand’s good reputation and visibility, and your ability to trace it back to its source. Your eyelashes will grow from this precautionary phase!

If you would love to learn more, we have more questions answered about Latisse in our FAQs section.

Want to know more about Latisse? We’ve answered your questions in our About Latisse and FAQ pages. Ready to start your Latisse journey? We’ll take you through your Latisse consultation, prescription, and purchase in one easy process!