Latanoprost is a medication that belongs to the class of drugs known as prostaglandin analogs. You may have seen me mention ‘prostaglandins’ before on nicehair.org. That’s because we know from research that increasing scalp PGE2 and decreasing scalp PGD2 can increase hair growth.
Latanoprost can increase the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by binding to ‘prostaglandin F receptors’ (FP receptors), which activates a signaling pathway that ultimately leads to increased synthesis and release of PGE2.
This was first observed when scientists were experimenting with Latanoprost as a treatment for galuacoma (a disease of the eye) and they discovered a side effect of the Latanoprost was increased eye lash growth. As a result it was later discovered that Latanoprost increases hair growth by increasing PGE2.
Latanoprost is a prescription medication so it’s not something you can usually pick up in a chemist or online, but there are places that claim to sell it without a prescription. Whether it’s genuine Latanoprost or not is unknown. That said, I won’t/can’t recommend you buy it.
It’s possible that in the future a treatment similar to Minoxidil could be released by a big hair loss business like Rogaine, but they haven’t done so in all these years — I suspect if they were going to they would have by now. When you think about it Minoxidil was once a prescription only medication and now it’s available over the counter.
Here are a few key reasons why latanoprost is prescription-only:
Safety concerns: Latanoprost, like any medication, can have potential side effects and interactions with other drugs. By requiring a prescription, healthcare professionals can assess a patient’s medical history, evaluate potential contraindications, and determine the appropriateness of latanoprost for an individual’s specific condition.
Proper dosage and administration: The correct dosage and administration of latanoprost are essential for its effectiveness. Healthcare professionals can provide instructions on how to use the medication properly, including the frequency of administration, technique for instilling eye drops, and precautions to follow.
Ongoing monitoring: Monitoring is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of latanoprost, assess any adverse effects, and make adjustments to the treatment plan as necessary. Regular check-ups with an eye care specialist are important to ensure that the medication is working as intended and to address any issues that may arise.
So be careful. Don’t go buying this stuff online and trying it out yourself. In the prescription solution there’s about 0.3% Latanoprost, so you do not want to be trying it yourself and accidentally mixing 3% for example.
Conclusions
Although I’ve been tempted to add Latanoprost to my regime, at this stage I’ll be giving it a miss.
