The problem with wanting longer eyelashes
LONGER and thicker lashes are two of the things women seek out in their beauty routines, and some have cast the trusty mascara aside to opt for fake lashes to get a better representation of this ideal.
But skin specialist Dr Neil Persadsingh is warning against this practice, which can end up harming the eyes.
“All animals and humans have the same length of the eyelash, which is one third of the width of the eye and depending on the length may increase the air flow around the eyes and lead to dry eyes,” Dr Persadsingh said. “The eyelashes form a barrier that controls air flow and the rate of water from the surface of the eye.”
He added that the use of cosmetic lashes can have a negative impact on the skin depending on the concentration of the glue used to apply it and if the individual wearing it has an allergic reaction to the chemicals within the glue.
“It’s similar to dipping your hand into a gallon of bleach, it will burn it up. Whereas if you have a few droplets of bleach in water and dip your hand in it, the reaction will be mild,” he said.
“The glue, if too powerful, can cause direct irritation to the skin such as swelling, redness, tenderness, rashes, allergies and possibly infections.”
For people who desire longer lashes, Dr Persadsingh said there are ways to achieve the goal without cosmetic products.
“Latisse is a new drug that will help to grow your eyelashes. However, the drug may cause brown pigmentation on the coloured part of the eye and darkening of the skin around the eyelids, so it must only be applied to the base of the upper eyelid or it might cause hair growth on the other areas.” he said.
He added that common side effects include itchiness, redness, darkening of the surrounding skin, hair growth on the surrounding skin and the Latisse may lower the pressure within the eye and lead to decreased vision.
The doctor also warned against how women apply eye cosmetic products inside the lash line or in front of the lash line as product migration to the tear film can occur, which will lead to contamination of the tear film.
–KH
