What You Need to Know About The Latest Eyelash Beauty Trends
Original article curtesy of Eyecare Business – September 2018.
The convergence of social media, reality TV, and selfie culture is fueling a global obsession with long + thick eyelashes—but are they safe for the eyes?
Got patients with an eyelash obsession? Today, more and more optometrists are seeing patients who use eyelash growth serums and those coming in with eyelash extensions (and even falsies, eyelash perms, and lifts).
The Problem
While this beauty trend has taken hold across the country (and around the globe), many patients with eyelash extensions report various symptoms from red, dry, itchy, scratchy, and irritated eyes to inflamed and itchy lids.
At the same time, optometrists are also observing increased signs of ocular surface disease (OSD): blepharitis, demodex (eyelash mites), conjunctivitis, keratitis, ocular dermatitis, Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and dry eye disease.
The Solution
Have daily conversations with your patients about these beauty trend complications. New eyelash beauty trends provide scores of eyecare (and business) opportunities for those eyecare providers who are passionate about ocular surface disease education and prevention.
The Inside Line on Lashes
Every patient has between 225 and 300 eyelashes per eye (150-200 upper lid, 75-100 lower lid). The natural eyelash growth has three phases:
- Anagen (active growth) Phase: lasts between 4 and 6 weeks.
- Catagen (transition) Phase: lasts 2 to 3 weeks. During this phase, the eyelash stops growing once it reaches its maximum length and volume.
- Telogen (resting) Phase: lasts approximately 100 days before the eyelash eventually falls out.
Each individual eyelash undergoes each phase at different times.
Eyelash Beauty Trends
| EYELASH BEAUTY TREND & MAINTENANCE | LEADING HARMFUL INGREDIENTS | POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECT ON OCULAR SURFACE |
|---|---|---|
| 1. EYELASH EXTENSIONS | ||
| Artificial eyelash is glued to individual real eyelash Replace lashes every 2-3 weeks |
Cyanoacrylate (methacrylate): Adhesive (glue) Formaldehyde: preservative, used in glue |
Irritation, allergic reaction, dermatitis, chemical conjunctivitis, redness, burning, itching, tearing, compensating incomplete blinks (from weight of lashes) |
| 2. FALSIES | ||
| A. Strips of artificial lashes glued to eyelid margin or a few strands glued under the natural eyelash B. Magnetic clip-on eyelash, with natural lash in the middle Repeat on as-needed basis, some use daily |
A. Formaldeyhyde: derivatives DMDM-Hydantoin, quaternium-15, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol B. Magnet: attached to the artificial lash |
Same effect as eyelash extensions Corneal abrasions, keratitis (from contact) Compensating incomplete blinks (from weight of lashes) |
| 3. EYELASH TINTING | ||
| Use dye to darken eyelashes Repeat every few months |
Para-PhenyleneDiamine (PPD) | Acute conjunctivitis, swelling, tearing, redness |
| 4. EYELASH PERM | ||
| Use chemical to semi-permanently curl eyelashes on cylindrical rod Repeat every 2-3 months |
Ammonium Thioglycolate: strong alkali |
Acute conjunctivitis, swelling, tearing, redness |
| 5. EYELASH LIFT (JAPANESE LASH PERM) | ||
| “Lifts” lashes up from the base using “speed bump-like” shaped device Repeat every 2-3 months |
Ammonium Thioglycolate: strong alkali |
Acute conjunctivitis, swelling, tearing, redness |