Every now and then there are articles on the Internet that claim that artificial eyelash extensions are harmful to your health. These articles are usually written in very general terms and often do not differentiate between eyelash extensions applied by experts and eyelash extensions that you apply yourself.
Allergies or glue getting into the eyes are also often reported.
In this article, we would like to address this topic, dispel myths and describe how and when it can actually cause health damage. However, we will only be discussing classic eyelash extensions, where one or more artificial eyelashes are glued to your own eyelashes.
The eyelash stylist – training and professionalism
An important factor in whether eyelash extensions are harmful to your health or not is the eyelash stylist himself.
Is he well trained, knows what to look out for, uses the right products and pays attention to hygiene in the workplace?
As with everything, there are pros and cons. A well-trained and professional eyelash stylist knows what to look out for in order to apply the eyelashes in such a way that the risk of a health problem is almost eliminated.
Therefore, it is very important to us in our courses to impart this knowledge in detail to future eyelash stylists, so that even as beginners they are able to carry out the treatment properly.
Hygiene in the workplace
Another important factor is hygiene in the studio and at the workplace.
- Are the products stored correctly and cleanly?
- Is the workplace and tools cleaned and disinfected regularly?
- Are disposable products used (eyelash brushes, applicators)?
- Does the treating person wash and disinfect their hands regularly?
If these four points are met, the chance of infection or inflammation is almost impossible. In our basic training, hygiene in the workplace is an important topic that we teach to prospective eyelash stylists.
Allergic reactions, irritations and inflammations
Every now and then you read about allergic reactions caused by eyelash extensions. However, this is usually not an allergic reaction, but rather an irritation in the eye area caused by mechanical irritation.
The reason for this is usually that the false eyelashes are applied incorrectly, which then causes irritation to the eyelid. In rarer cases, these are actually allergic reactions, which can be traced back to a personal intolerance on the part of the customer or to the use of an adhesive that gives off strong fumes.
In our courses, we attach great importance to teaching our participants how to avoid this and how to deal with customers who are at risk of intolerance.
If it is actually an allergic reaction, you should not try to counteract it with home remedies, but see a doctor as soon as possible to avoid any subsequent damage. This is in the interest of both the person affected and the person treating them.
If the irritation is caused by mechanical irritation, it is recommended to remove the eyelashes in those areas and reapply them.
Inflammations, on the other hand, are often due to low hygiene standards in the eyelash studio, which we already mentioned above.
The eyelash glue
You often hear about “anti-allergenic eyelash glue” - in order for an adhesive to reliably stick the false eyelashes to the eyelashes, it needs certain chemical substances such as hardeners and others. These components can of course lead to irritation of the tongue or allergic reactions - but mostly due to incorrect handling.
If an adhesive does not contain these certain chemical components, it will inevitably result in the artificial eyelashes not being reliably bonded to the natural eyelashes and the eyelashes therefore falling out prematurely.
There are adhesives that contain fewer of these components, but this also has certain disadvantages (premature dissolution or longer curing and thus longer evaporation, which can also lead to irritation).
Another factor that can cause allergic reactions to eyelash glue is if it is stored incorrectly or left open for too long.
Proper handling is therefore one of the most important factors to avoid irritation and allergies.
In our courses, we teach the aspiring eyelash stylists how to use eyelash glue correctly.
Eyelash glue gets into the eye
It is also rather unlikely that the eyelash glue can get into the eye, as a drop of eyelash glue is first dripped onto a surface (e.g. quartz stone) and the artificial eyelash or eyelash fan is then dipped into it. The amount of eyelash glue that is then on the artificial eyelash is so minimal that it is almost impossible for the glue to get into the eye later when it is applied to the natural eyelash.
The weight of the false eyelashes
Of course, the additional weight of the artificial eyelashes has an effect on the natural eyelashes. However, the weight of an artificial eyelash is so low that the risk of overloading and damaging the natural eyelashes is low. One factor here is the condition of the customer's natural eyelashes.
If the customer has healthy and strong eyelashes, even the application of a volume technique, in which several eyelashes are applied to one eyelash, is possible without any problems.
If the customer has less strong eyelashes, fewer eyelashes should be applied if in doubt.
If the eyelashes are in poor condition, the person treating them should advise against treatment or at least suggest a break so that the customer's eyelashes can recover.
In this case, customer advice plays an important role in order to minimize possible health side effects.
Customer’s eyelash hygiene
One of the most common health problems associated with eyelash extensions is mites, whose excretions in turn promote bacterial growth in the eye, which in turn can lead to inflammation.
However, it is not the eyelash extension itself that is responsible for these mites, but mostly the customer's poor or non-existent eyelash and eye hygiene.
If you regularly clean your eyelashes (e.g. with eyelash shampoo or eyelash foam and an eyelash brush) and the eye area with appropriate cleaning and care products, you can almost completely rule out excessive infestation by mites and other parasites.
It should be added here that mite infestation is possible even without eyelash extensions if hygiene is poor and the environment is unclean.
We also cover the topic of eye hygiene in most of our courses.
Despite new findings, the myth persists that artificial eyelashes should not come into contact with water, which inevitably leads to wearers of eyelash extensions being unsure and not cleaning their eyelash extensions sufficiently.
Conclusion
Whether eyelash extensions are harmful to your health depends mostly on the following points:
- Expertise and professionalism of the treating person
- Correct application of the correct and above all clean eyelash products
- Hygiene in the salon, at the workplace and of the treating person
- Detailed and expert advice for customers
- Hygiene and cleanliness of the eyelash wearer
What should you do if health problems still occur?
If health side effects such as allergies or inflammations occur despite compliance with the above points, a doctor should be consulted immediately.