The present invention provides a method for stimulating hair growth in a mammalian species or converting vellus hair or intermediate hair to terminal hair or stimulating hair follicles to increase hair growth and one or more properties selected from the group consisting of luster, sheen, brilliance, gloss, glow, shine or patina of hair associated with the follicles or increasing one or more of: length, thickness, number, and density, of eyelash hair or eyebrow hair comprising applying to the skin of a patient a composition comprising an effective amount of an EP3 agonist or an EP4 agonist prodrug or a mixture thereof. Such compositions which are used in treating the skin or scalp of a human or non-human animal may comprise an effective amount of 3, 7 or 3 and 7 thia prostanoic acid. A mixture of 3,7-dithia PGE1 and 3,7- dithiaPGEl-isopropyl ester is preferred for this treatment.