Lack of Efficacy of Topical Latanoprost and Bimatoprost Ophthalmic Solutions in Promoting Eyelash Growth in Patients with Alopecia Areata

In a study conducted 13 years ago, topical latanoprost and bimatoprost ophthalmic solutions were found to be ineffective in promoting eyelash growth in patients with alopecia areata (AA). The study involved 11 adult patients with AA who were randomly assigned to receive either latanoprost or bimatoprost. The medication was applied directly to the upper and lower eyelid margins of one eye once a day, with the other eye serving as a control. Despite the treatments being well tolerated, none of the patients experienced significant regrowth of their eyelashes. The researchers hypothesized that the lack of regrowth might be due to insufficient stimulation or blockage of an essential hair growth mediator, and suggested that ocular instillation might be a more effective way to apply prostaglandin analogues to stimulate eyelash regrowth.