Perhaps you’ve heard the horror stories when it comes to hormones in eyelash serums. One of the most well-known cases happened when a brand was banned from being sold in Australia altogether because of the horrifying side-effects customers were experiencing thanks to their key ingredient: prostaglandins.
But what are prostaglandins, are they harmful, and are they found in all eyelash serums? We’ll be answering these questions in this week’s blog post.
What are prostaglandins?
Prostaglandins are a type of chemical that was originally found in eyedrops used to treat glaucoma. However, researchers soon noticed that patients using these eyedrops suddenly experienced amazing lash growth. Soon enough, beauty companies caught onto this phenomenon and a range of well-known lash serums were launched with prostaglandins as the key ingredient.
Are lash serums containing prostaglandins safe?
According to the Australian government, the answer is no. In 2018 the Australian Department of Health banned salons and spas for stocking lash serums containing these hormones. But why?
It turns out these growth hormones can have awful, permanent side effects and should only be used when prescribed by a doctor. Side effects may include:
- Permanent darkening of the eyelid
- Permanent discolouration of the iris - usually from blue to brown.
- Itchy, swollen, red eyes
- Watery eyes
- Blurry vision
- Red or brown circles under the eye
- A sunken eye appearance
And this wasn’t only in Australia. The FDA in the United States conducted clinical tests on another popular lash serum brand containing growth hormones, and about 4% of users experienced adverse side effects. What’s more, if you do suffer from glaucoma, there’s also speculation that using lash serums containing prostaglandins could cause you to build a resistance to glaucoma medication.
For the reasons above, lash serums containing these hormones now require a prescription in some countries.
Do all lash serums contain growth hormones?
Thankfully not! However, it’s not as simple as that. More and more eyelash growth serums are popping up with natural and synthetic alternatives to prostaglandins. These have become popular as you do not need a prescription to purchase them and are often cheaper than lash serums that do require a prescription. However, they can cause the same side effects as prostaglandins - scary stuff!
When in doubt, look out for the following ingredients on your lash serum’s packaging, which are all types of prostaglandins both natural and synthetic that you might want to avoid:
- Isopropyl Cloprostenate
- Isopropanol Phenyl-hydroxy-pentene Dihydroxy-cyclopentyl-heptenate
- Bitamoprost
- Dechloro Dihydroxy Difluoro Ethylcloprostenolamide
Are lash serums without growth hormones effective?
Yes! Thanks to powerful lash-boosting plant extracts, there are definitely clean, safe alternatives to these potentially harmful lash serums - and they work too!
EVEDARE Eyelash Serum is made from all-natural plant extracts that work to grow longer, thicker natural lashes in as little as 4 weeks. In fact, we believe in our product so much so that we offer a full refund to customers who don’t see results within 4 weeks.
Get longer, thicker natural lashes safely with EVEDARE Eyelash Serum!
