FALSE EYELASHES: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

4 min readAug 4, 2020

For a lot of ladies, wearing makeup without some fluttering false eyelashes is like dressing up without shoes. Long, full lashes are definitely a statement look and they have come to stay. The effect these long, adorable false eyelashes give can easily take you from regular, nerdy girl to Fashion Nova glam queen in seconds. Yet, these pretty things can become a cause for serious concern if proper care isn’t taken.

But wait!!! What are eyelashes for to start with?

Natural lashes are designed to reduce airflow into your eyes, keep excess moisture at bay and filter sunlight. To effectively protect against dust and moisture evaporation, optimal eyelash length is one-third the width of the eye. Too long or too short lashes can introduce wind, dust and other debris. False eyelashes can put your vision at risk. That’s because anytime you have a foreign object near your eye, there is the potential for something to go wrong. Longer, fuller eyelashes create a fan-like effect with each blink, increasing air flow on the surface that can cause dry eye symptoms.

Let’s talk about adhesives . . .

The glues used to adhere false eyelashes contain chemicals and ingredients such as Latex, Cellulose gum, Cyanoacrylates, Benzoic acid and even Formaldehyde in low concentration. These chemicals may be irritating or harmful and a person may be allergic to one or more of them.

Side effects may include:

Bloodshot eyes
Burning
Itching
Pain
Rashes
Swelling
Redness from corneal or conjunctival inflammation

Any symptoms that last longer than 24 to 48 hours should be evaluated. If your symptoms are severe, such as extreme swelling, pain or itching on either your eyelid or eye, you need to see an optometrist. If you’re having an allergic reaction, your doctor will prescribe eye drops that can help reduce your symptoms. It’s important to get the right treatment for your eyes.

Treatment for these side effects may be:

Cold compresses
Topical hydrocortisone cream
Allergy eye drops
Oral antihistamine products

What else?

Well, apart from the reactions you can get from adhesives, the mode of application, length of the lashes and time you wear them for can also pose a threat to eye health.

Sharp tweezers if not used correctly by a professional can cause serious eye injuries.
Wearing false eyelashes for a long time or very frequently can lead to temporary or even permanent loss of your natural lashes. The hair follicles responsible for eyelash growth and maintenance could be damaged.
Eye injuries can cause eye infections. Your cornea and/or eyelids can be infected and this can be followed by eye strain.
Allergic reactions not just to the type of glue but also to the fiber used to make the fake eyelashes themselves can lead to contact dermatitis.
Extravagant false lashes can increase your risk of having dry eyes.

What you may notice:

Pain
Redness
Soreness
Sensitivity to light
Discharge
Fever
Blurred vision
Swelling

These symptoms may be signs of infections, dry eye amidst other things.

What to do . . .

While there are a lot of risks involved with wearing false eyelashes, you should be just fine if you take the following tips:

Make sure your false eyelashes are fixed by a professional. It’s great if you can do them yourself as you feel first hand when there is too much force or it’s not sitting in the right place.
Do not proceed to fix if you have irritated or broken skin on your eyelids.
Limit the amount of glue used.
Avoid lashes with glitter or jewels.
Remove lashes very gently.
Clean the eyelid after removing the lashes.
Avoid glue with formaldehyde.
Avoid overly long and extravagant eyelashes.
Avoid wearing your false for too long. You also need to give your natural lashes time to grow as well so avoid wearing false lashes very frequently.

It is important to see a doctor if you notice any symptoms. If you have an infection, you may need antibiotics. Both infections and allergic reactions can have similar symptoms so seeing a doctor will ensure you get the right treatment.

SEE AN OPTOMETRIST TODAY…