Careprost vs Latisse: Same Bimatoprost 0.03%, What Differs and What It Costs

Careprost and Latisse both contain bimatoprost at the same strength, 0.03%. That is where the sameness ends. Latisse is the product the FDA approved in 2008 to grow eyelashes, tested in the trials behind that approval and sold with sterile single-use applicators. Careprost is Sun Pharma's bimatoprost glaucoma drop from India, sold without applicators in its standard pack, and not approved by the FDA, the MHRA, the TGA or Health Canada. The price gap between them is large.

This guide sets out what is the same, what differs, what the Latisse trials found, what each costs, whether insurance or Medicare pays, and how to choose. If you have already decided on Careprost, the Careprost product page has the current price and delivery details, and our guide on how to apply Careprost covers the method step by step.

The short answer

The active ingredient and its strength are the same, so the Latisse trial results describe what bimatoprost 0.03% does to lashes when it is applied the Latisse way. Careprost itself was not tested in those trials, it is labelled for glaucoma rather than lashes, and it comes without the sterile applicators the Latisse label insists on. Latisse is the approved, tested product; Careprost is the much cheaper route to the same molecule. In the US, FDA-approved generic bimatoprost is a third option, and the glaucoma version costs pharmacies only a few dollars per mL.

Careprost vs Latisse at a glance

	Careprost	Latisse
Active ingredient	Bimatoprost 0.03% (0.3 mg per mL)	Bimatoprost 0.03% (0.3 mg per mL)
Maker	Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, India	Allergan, now part of AbbVie
Labelled use	Glaucoma and high eye pressure	Hypotrichosis of the eyelashes (too few or too short lashes)
FDA approved	No (also not approved by the MHRA, TGA or Health Canada)	Yes, 24 December 2008
Tested in the eyelash trials	No	Yes
Applicators	Not included in the standard pack	Sterile single-use applicators: 70 with 3 mL, 140 with 5 mL
Bottle	3 mL	3 mL or 5 mL
Prescription and approval	Not approved in the US, UK, Australia or Canada; bimatoprost is prescription-only in all four	Approved and prescription-only in the US and Canada

What is the same

Both are sterile eye solutions of bimatoprost 0.3 mg per mL, a prostaglandin analogue. Bimatoprost is thought to lengthen the growth phase of the eyelash cycle and increase the number of hairs growing, which is why lashes get longer and fuller; it also darkens them through its effect on pigment. The Latisse label lists its other ingredients as the preservative benzalkonium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium phosphate, citric acid and water. Indian pharmacy listings show Careprost also contains benzalkonium chloride, but we have not seen its full ingredient list, so we cannot say the two solutions are identical beyond the active ingredient and its strength.

What is different

• Approval for lashes. Latisse is approved for eyelash growth. Careprost is a glaucoma drop; using it on lashes follows the Latisse method, which Careprost's own pack does not describe.
• Testing. The trial results below come from Latisse. Careprost shares the drug and strength, not the trial evidence.
• Applicators. The Latisse label says to use only the sterile applicators supplied, one per eye, and never another brush. Careprost has none, so the nearest substitute is a sealed sterile single-use applicator for each eye each night, although any applicator other than the one supplied with Latisse is outside the label.
• Regulatory oversight. Latisse and FDA-approved generics are made in facilities the FDA inspects. Careprost has not been assessed by the FDA, the MHRA, the TGA or Health Canada.
• Price. See the price section below.

What the Latisse trials found

In the 4-month trial behind the FDA approval, 278 adults applied bimatoprost 0.03% or an inactive vehicle solution to the upper lid margin every night. Doctors rated lash prominence on a 4-point scale. The share with at least a 1-grade improvement:

Week	Bimatoprost 0.03%	Vehicle
Week 4	15%	8%
Week 8	50%	15%
Week 12	69%	20%
Week 16	78%	18%

Little changes in the first month. Most people who respond see it by week 8, and the full effect comes around week 16.

How much longer, fuller and darker

Digital image analysis at week 16 measured the lashes themselves:

Measure	Bimatoprost 0.03%	Vehicle
Length	+25% (1.4 mm)	+2%
Fullness (thickness)	+106%	+12%
Darkness	+18%	+3%

These are averages. Some people see more, and some see little.

What happens when you stop

The change is not permanent with either product. The Latisse label says lashes are expected to return to their previous appearance after treatment stops. In a 12-month trial, results held for about 2 months after stopping and had markedly diminished 4 to 6 months later. To keep results, either product has to be used indefinitely, which is why the running cost matters more than the price of one bottle.

How much each costs

Product (bimatoprost 0.03%)	Labelled for lashes	Cost
Latisse 3 mL	Yes	$122.93 paid by US pharmacies ($40.98 per mL)
Latisse 5 mL	Yes	$157.45 paid by US pharmacies ($31.49 per mL)
Generic bimatoprost eyelash solution 3 mL	Yes	$78.82 paid by US pharmacies ($26.27 per mL)
Generic bimatoprost eyelash solution 5 mL	Yes	$103.25 paid by US pharmacies ($20.65 per mL)
Generic bimatoprost 0.03% glaucoma drops	No	$4.21 to $8.85 per mL paid by US pharmacies
Careprost 3 mL	No	$9 a bottle from us, plus $25 shipping under $149

The US figures are pharmacy acquisition costs from the Medicaid NADAC file dated 30 September 2026; the price at the counter is higher. The Latisse 3 mL pack comes with 70 applicators, enough for 35 nights on both upper lids, so 16 weeks takes about 3 to 4 Latisse 3 mL packs; Careprost used at the same rate would need a similar number of bottles.

For US readers with a prescription, the cheapest regulated option is often FDA-approved generic bimatoprost 0.03% glaucoma drops. They contain the same drug at the same strength as Latisse but are labelled for glaucoma, so using them on lashes is off-label, and they come without applicators. Careprost is different again: it is not approved in the US at all. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Does insurance or Medicare pay for Latisse?

Usually not. CMS lists agents used for cosmetic purposes or hair growth among the drug uses Medicare Part D excludes, although some enhanced Part D plans offer excluded drugs as an extra benefit. Private insurers commonly treat Latisse the same way, though plans differ, so check yours. The exclusion depends on the use, not the drug: bimatoprost glaucoma drops, including Lumigan and its generics, can be covered when prescribed for glaucoma or high eye pressure, depending on the plan's formulary, but not when used for lashes. Careprost is not covered by US insurance.

Side effects

In the 4-month Latisse trial, the most common side effects were itchy eyes, red eyes, skin darkening, eye irritation, dry eye symptoms and redness around the eye, each in under 4% of patients. In a 12-month trial, among 118 adults with naturally sparse lashes who used bimatoprost for up to a year, red eyes were reported by 8.5%, itchy eyelids by 5.9% and red eyelids by 5.1%; there was no placebo group after month 6.

The label also warns about brown darkening of the iris, which is likely to be permanent; darkening of the eyelid skin, usually reversible; hair growth wherever the solution repeatedly touches skin; and infection from reused applicators or a contaminated bottle tip. The label also warns that lashes may grow unevenly between the eyes in length, thickness, colour, number or direction, usually reversibly. Since approval there have also been reports of fat loss around the eye that deepens the lid crease or causes a drooping lid, temporary lash loss and eyelid swelling. These apply to bimatoprost, so they apply to Careprost too.

Who should not use either product

• Anyone allergic to bimatoprost or any ingredient, including the preservative benzalkonium chloride. This is the label's contraindication.
• Anyone using any eye pressure medicine or with a history of abnormal eye pressure, unless their doctor agrees first.
• With prostaglandin drops such as Lumigan, or others such as latanoprost, extra bimatoprost can reduce the pressure-lowering effect, so the label says to consult a doctor first and have eye pressure monitored.
• Anyone with active inflammation inside the eye such as uveitis, or at risk of macular oedema, without their eye doctor's advice.
• Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, as a precaution for a cosmetic use: there are no adequate studies in pregnancy, although the label notes no increase in major birth defects or miscarriage in postmarketing experience.

Stop and see a doctor for eye pain, discharge, persistent redness, eyelid swelling, a change in iris colour or any change in vision, and ask a doctor before continuing if you have an eye injury or infection or need eye surgery. Tell whoever checks your eye pressure that you use bimatoprost on your lashes, because it can lower eye pressure readings.

How to apply either one

• At night, wash your face, remove makeup and take out contact lenses. Lenses can go back in 15 minutes after applying.
• Put one drop on a sterile single-use applicator. Do not let the bottle tip touch anything.
• Draw the applicator along the base of the upper lashes, from the inner to the outer corner, so the lid margin feels lightly moist.
• Blot any runoff with a tissue, throw the applicator away, and use a new one for the other eye.
• Do not apply to the lower lash line, and do not use more than once a night: the label says extra applications do not increase growth. If you miss a night, do not try to catch up; apply as usual the next evening.
• If some solution gets into the eye itself, the label says it is not expected to cause harm and the eye should not be rinsed.

Can you use Careprost in the eye like Lumigan?

Careprost is a glaucoma drop, so it is made to go into the eye. But using any bimatoprost product to treat glaucoma or high eye pressure is a decision for an eye doctor, who will choose the drop and strength and monitor your pressure. In the US, Lumigan is now sold as 0.01%, and the 0.03% Lumigan has been discontinued there, not for safety reasons. Our Lumigan vs Careprost guide covers the glaucoma side.

Is Careprost legal?

Bimatoprost is a prescription medicine in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. Careprost is not licensed by the FDA, the MHRA, the TGA or Health Canada. In the US, the FDA says that in most circumstances it is illegal for individuals to import medicines for personal use, and that a drug approved in another country but not in the US is illegal to import. The UK MHRA warns that medicines not authorised in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and advises UK buyers to use only UK-registered pharmacies. Our guide Is Careprost legal in the USA? covers the US rules.

Which should you choose?

Your situation	The reasonable choice
You want the approved, tested product with applicators and cost is not the issue	Latisse, on prescription
You are in the US with a prescription and want to pay less	FDA-approved generic bimatoprost eyelash solution, or ask about generic 0.03% glaucoma drops
You use glaucoma or eye pressure drops	Neither, unless your eye doctor agrees and monitors your eye pressure
You are pregnant or breastfeeding	Neither
You accept an unapproved product to keep costs down	Careprost, applied the Latisse way with sterile single-use applicators

Storing a bottle

The Latisse label says to store bimatoprost between 2°C and 25°C (36°F to 77°F). Keep the cap on between uses and never let the bottle tip touch your eye, fingers or any surface, because a contaminated bottle can cause an eye infection. For Careprost, follow any discard-after-opening period printed on the pack.

Checking what you receive

When a Careprost order arrives, check that the carton names Sun Pharma and shows the strength, a batch number and an expiry date, and that the bottle seal is intact. These checks cannot prove a product is genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If it causes unusual symptoms, stop using it, seek medical advice, and report it to your medicines regulator (the MHRA Yellow Card scheme in the UK, FDA MedWatch in the US, the TGA in Australia or Health Canada) as well as to the seller.

Sources

• LATISSE (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% US prescribing information (Allergan), sections 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12.1, 14, 16 and 17, and Patient Information. DailyMed
• Drugs@FDA: LATISSE NDA 022369, approved 24 December 2008, via the openFDA drugsfda API, October 2026.
• Health Canada Drug Product Database: LATISSE, DIN 02350939, prescription.
• LUMIGAN (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.01% US prescribing information (Allergan), 2026. DailyMed
• Drugs@FDA: LUMIGAN NDA 021275 (0.03%, discontinued) and NDA 022184 (0.01%), via the openFDA drugsfda API, October 2026.
• Glaser DA et al. Br J Dermatol 2015;172(5):1384-94. PMID 25296533.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), 2026 file, as of 30 September 2026. data.medicaid.gov
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Excluded Drug Reference File: questions and answers (December 2020). CMS
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK

This guide is for information only and is not medical advice. Bimatoprost is a prescription medicine; speak to a doctor or optometrist before using it, especially if you have any eye condition.