Learn what latanoprost is, and how it may help with hair loss. We also review the potential side effects and where you can buy this medication.
Hair loss is a big worry for most people. And, unfortunately, some degree of hair loss will become a reality for more people than not.
For this reason, there is always a lot of buzz behind new potential treatments or active ingredients that could be beneficial for hair growth or preservation.
One of the latest off-label active ingredients to gain some attention from the hair loss world is Latanoprost.
Below, we will give you the general run down on Latanoprost for hair loss including what it is originally used for, what class of medications it falls into, the potential benefits of using Latanoprost on your scalp, what the current studies say about Latanoprost for hair, any potential side effects to be aware of, and where you buy Latanoprost-containing formulations (if you are interested).
Latanoprost is in the class of medications called prostaglandin analogs. Other medications in this class include the related medication, Bimatoprost, which is the active ingredient inside of the popular brand-name eyelash-growth medication, Latisse, and the glaucoma brand-name medication, Lumigan.
Latanoprost is not currently FDA-approved for the indication of hair loss. It is currently only approved for the indication of Glaucoma and ocular hypertension, and it is in the brand-name medication Xalatan.
After patients started using Latanoprost for their glaucoma and interocular pressure, numerous reports of increased eyelash and eyebrow growth and pigmentation were reported.
Shortly after, this led researchers to waste no time looking into the use of Latanoprost topically on the scalp for potential benefits.
While there is still more research to be done, most studies report beneficial effects of topical Latanoprost for hair loss.
A very early animal study done on the balding tail of macaques reported a potent effect on hair growth from the use of Latanoprost, and stated that it appears to be a promising candidate in the therapy of human androgenetic alopecia.
One 24-week study on people with androgenetic alopecia from 2011 reported a significant improvement in hair density increases from baseline as compared to placebo.
A more recent study from 2022 used topical 0.005% Latanoprost solution on the scalps of patients with alopecia areata. The conclusion states that there was acceptable safety and efficacy of the Latanoprost topical solution, and that there was increased hair density and regrowth.
Some of the potential side effects associated with using Latanoprost as an eyedrop for glaucoma may include: eye pain, stinging, vision changes, skin irritation, chest pain or tightness, and irritation, swelling, and redness of the eye.
However, it is not clear at the moment if these side effects also apply when using Latanoprost topically on the scalp.
In some of the topical Latanoprost studies listed above, they reported topical Latanoprost to be well tolerated. One even noted that there were no significant signs of redness, scaling, itching, or discomfort of the treatment area reported during the trial.
However, with any medication that you use topically, there may always be a risk of irritation or a reaction from the use. It is possible that some people may experience irritation, redness, or itching from a topically applied medication.
Latanoprost is a prescription-only medication. So, you can only obtain Latanoprost from a pharmacy if you have a prescription from a doctor for it.
Also, most pharmacies will only be familiar with the manufactured eye-drop version of Latanoprost. But, some compounding pharmacies (like the ones that we work with here at Strut), can take the Latanoprost active ingredient and make it into a topical formulation for you to use on the scalp. Of course, you still also need a prescription for Latanoprost in this formulation, so you will need to find a doctor who wants to write for this off-label indication of Latanoprost.
At Strut, we help make this process easier for you. We pair you with telemedicine doctors familiar with these compounds, as well as getting the prescription over to a compounding pharmacy, and then to your front door (if you are a good candidate for treatment).
Our topical Strut Hair Booster contains Latanoprost, as well as Caffeine, Melatonin, and Biotin to help round out the hair care regimen. This formulation is non-hormone modulating like some other hair loss treatments, and can be used in both men and women.
You can place an order for Strut Hair Booster with Latanoprost, or learn more about the formula, at the Strut Hair Booster product page: Here.
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