Hypertrichosis of Vellus Hairs in the Malar Region After Unilateral Treatment with Bimatoprost
April 2004
in “
American Journal of Ophthalmology
”
TLDR Using bimatoprost on one side of the face caused increased cheek hair growth in a patient.
The document reports a case of hypertrichosis (increased hair growth) and pigmentation of vellus hairs in the malar region (cheek area) of a 53-year-old Hispanic female patient after 8 weeks of unilateral treatment with bimatoprost, a medication used to treat open-angle glaucoma. The patient also experienced increased eyelash growth. Upon noticing the hair growth, which was visible without magnification and cosmetically disturbing, bimatoprost was discontinued. The patient chose to epilate the hair due to its appearance, and two months after epilation, the hair growth did not recur. The case suggests that increased hair growth in the malar region can be an early side effect of topical bimatoprost usage. The study is an interventional case report, focusing on a single patient's experience.