Our team often answers questions about false eyelashes and how they can affect your eye health. While they’re a popular way to enhance your look, improper use can lead to irritation and infection.
Adhesives may trigger allergic reactions, and extensions can trap bacteria near the eyelid. Repeated wear can also damage your natural ones or cause them to fall out, and sharing or reusing strips raises the risk of infection.
To protect your eyes, buy from reputable sources, avoid sleeping in them, and remove them gently with an oil-free cleanser. If you notice redness, swelling, or discharge, stop wearing them and schedule an exam with our optometrists.
See, while they yes, fake eyelashes can make you look like a living Snapchat filter, they can also do a lot of damage to your eyes. So, because as usual, we’re here to slightly ruin your fun with common sense, take a minute and read through these potential downsides of adding to your existing lashes:
- Irritation and redness.
- Inflammation and swelling. I mean, this and no. 1 above should really make you think twice. Nothing will undo your entire look like the impression that you’ve been crying all night. According to Megan Smith at Livestrong.com, “Wearing false eyelashes to bed or for more than one day can cause bacteria to collect under the eyelash glue and on the false eyelash, causing eye infections. If the eyelash is not removed carefully and the eyelid is not cleaned with eye-makeup remover after use, infection is possible, even if the eyelash is not worn overnight.”
Infection. The false lashes can trap dirt and bacteria, which can turn into infections (like pink eye, which as we’ve covered here, is really unpleasant). - Allergic reactions. Some glues use formaldehyde, which aside from being a carcinogen, can cause an allergic reaction resulting in oozing and crusting. We’re assuming that’s not the look you were going for…
- You could lose your natural eyelashes. Yep. Sometimes, the glue used to keep the fake lashes in place will, in fact, pull out your natural ones, too. Or (yes, there’s more than one way this can happen), the glue can cause irritation which can lead to a condition called madarosis, meaning you pull our your natural eyelashes yourself. (If this becomes too pronounced, your body may slow down or completely stop hair production in that area!)
If, despite our best warnings, you do decide to use false eyelashes, please don’t share them with anyone, as infections can be passed from user to user. Also, test them on your wrist or the back of your hand for at least 24 hours before using them on your eye area. This allows you to determine if your skin has an allergic reaction to the type of materials used to construct and adhere that particular eyelash product.
We know that Instagram makes them look amazing, but seriously, the right mascara can be equally as effective. And your pics will so look much better if your eyes are clear and bright, not red, crusty or oozing.
Here’s to a great 2019, and we look forward to continuing to serve you in the new year!
