Does Latisse Have Prostaglandin?

Last reviewed: May 2026.

Quick Answer

What Latisse contains

Latisse is the brand name for bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%, an FDA-approved prescription medication for eyelash hypotrichosis. It was approved on December 5, 2008 under NDA 022369 and is distributed by Allergan USA, an AbbVie company.¹

The active ingredient, bimatoprost, is classified by the FDA as a synthetic prostaglandin analogue — specifically, a prostamide F2α analogue.¹ Bimatoprost was originally approved in 2001 for the reduction of intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients, marketed as Lumigan. Eyelash growth was first observed as a side effect among glaucoma patients using Lumigan, and Allergan subsequently pursued a separate FDA approval for the cosmetic indication.

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How bimatoprost works on lashes

The exact mechanism is not fully characterized. The FDA prescribing information states the growth of eyelashes is believed to occur by increasing the percent of hairs in, and the duration of, the anagen (growth) phase.¹

Bimatoprost is understood to act on prostaglandin (FP) receptors in hair follicles, inducing resting follicles to enter the active growth phase, extending the duration of that phase, and stimulating melanogenesis, which produces darker, thicker lashes.

The same prostaglandin receptor activity that drives lash growth is also responsible for the documented side effect profile of the drug. This is the central pharmacological fact of the entire prostaglandin lash serum category.

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What the prostaglandin classification means for side effects

Because bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analogue, it carries the documented side effect profile of the prostaglandin class. The FDA Full Prescribing Information for Latisse identifies the following:¹

• Eye irritation, itching, and conjunctival hyperemia (redness) — among the most frequently reported adverse reactions, each occurring in less than 4% of patients in the pivotal clinical trial
• Iris pigmentation changes — the FDA warns these are likely permanent. Risk is highest in patients with hazel, green, or mixed-color irises
• Eyelid skin hyperpigmentation — darkening of the periorbital skin; reported as reversible upon discontinuation
• Prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy (PAP) — orbital fat atrophy, deepening of the upper eyelid sulcus, eyelid ptosis, and a sunken appearance to the eye area
• Macular edema — the FDA carries a formal warning for aphakic and pseudophakic patients with risk factors
• Meibomian gland dysfunction — peer-reviewed research has associated long-term PGA use with obstructive MGD²

For the complete documented side effect profile, see Latisse Side Effects: An Evidence-Based Reference Guide.

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Latisse vs. other prostaglandin-containing lash serums

A common consumer misconception is that over-the-counter lash serums are categorically safer than prescription Latisse because they are sold as cosmetics rather than drugs. The pharmacological reality is more nuanced: many leading OTC lash serums contain different prostaglandin analogue molecules than bimatoprost, but with similar receptor activity and similar documented side effect profiles.

Across these brands, total class action settlements paid to consumers as a result of undisclosed prostaglandin analogue ingredients exceed $50 million.³

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Regulatory status of prostaglandin analogues in cosmetics

Canada: Prostaglandins, their derivatives, and analogues — including bimatoprost, dehydrolatanoprost, and isopropyl cloprostenate — appear on Health Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist as prohibited substances when used in cosmetic products.⁴

European Union: In February 2026, the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) issued a final opinion stating that the prostaglandin analogues methylamido-dihydro-noralfaprostal (MDN), isopropyl cloprostenate (ICP), and dechloro dihydroxy difluoro ethylcloprostenolamide (DDDE) cannot be considered safe for use in cosmetic products intended for the eyelashes.⁵

United States: These ingredients remain in cosmetic products without formal restriction, though the FDA has stated that products containing isopropyl cloprostenate may constitute unapproved new drugs.⁶

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If you want a prostaglandin-free option

Prostaglandin-free lash and brow serums rely on different active mechanisms — primarily peptide complexes, biotin, panthenol, and conditioning amino acids. These ingredients do not act on prostaglandin receptors and are not associated with the prostaglandin-class adverse-effect profile.

Plume Elite Lash & Brow Enhancing Serum is a prostaglandin-free formulation built around the Q5 Peptide Complex. It contains no bimatoprost, no isopropyl cloprostenate, no dechloro dihydroxy difluoro ethylcloprostenolamide, and no other prostaglandin analogue.

Related questions

• Latisse Side Effects: An Evidence-Based Reference Guide
• Does GrandeLASH Have Prostaglandin?
• Lash Serum Safety: Ingredients, Risks, and Safer Alternatives