Most of us will have lovely memories of finding a stray eyelash on our cheek, making a wish, and blowing it away.
However, as an adult, finding stray lashes may cause you to worry. Just like the hair on our heads, our eyelashes grow, fall out, and then regrow again as part of a natural cycle, so if you see the occasional stray, there is usually no reason to panic.
Why Do Eyelashes Fall Out?
Noticing your eyelashes are falling out occasionally is no cause for concern, but noticing eyelashes falling out excessively could be for a few reasons.
If you use mascara, you may be allergic to the certain brand you are using. You also may not be removing it properly before going to sleep.
Eyelash curlers can also weaken your lashes, and if you use an eyelash curler after putting on mascara, this can cause more damage.
Sometimes, excessive eyelash loss can be caused by an underlying condition, such as alopecia, lupus, and hypothyroidism.
If you suddenly notice an excessive loss of eyelashes, you should see your doctor, so they can determine the cause of this problem.
What Is The Natural Eyelash Cycle?
On average, as adults, we have around 100 to 150 upper eyelashes, and around 50 to 75 lower lashes on each eyelid. These eyelashes are part of a natural growth cycle, so seeing a few stray ones is normal. The growth cycle goes in three stages:
- The growth phase: This is also known as the anagen phase, and lasts around 4 to 10 weeks. This is when your eyelashes will grow from 0.12 to 0.14 millimeters a day.
- The degradation phase: Known as the catagen phase, this is when your lashes stop growing, and your hair follicle will begin to get smaller.
- The resting phase. This phase is also known as the telogen phase and is the final phase when the eyelash will finally fall out.
How Long Does It Take Eyelashes To Grow Back After Eyelash Extensions
Eyelash extensions are extremely popular, and it isn’t hard to see why, with the glamorous and made-up look they give you.
They can be made of mink, silk, or synthetic fibers. Unfortunately, these extensions can cause damage to your follicles and eyelids, as they are glued directly to your natural eyelash.
This can cause temporary damage to some people, and in some cases, permanent damage.
The extension is supposed to grow along with your natural eyelash, and if it hasn’t fallen out before, it will fall out when your own eyelash falls out.
If there has been no permanent damage, then your natural lashes should grow back within around 6 weeks.
If you are a fan of eyelash extensions, then it is recommended you take a break from time to time, to allow your natural eyelashes to strengthen.
Causes Of Hair loss In Eyelashes
There is a condition that is known to cause hair loss in eyelashes and eyebrows. It is called Madarosis. There are several causes of this condition, including, genetics.
If any parents or other family members experienced this, then it could be passed down to you.
Alopecia is when your immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing hair loss. This could lead to Madarosis.
Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, can lead to hair loss in the eyelashes and other parts of the body.
Thyroid activity can affect your hair. If your thyroid hormones or too low or too high, they can interfere with your hair growth.
Physical injury can also impact your hair. If you have gone through some kind of trauma, it can cause hair loss.
Some medications can also lead to hair loss as a side effect. Some of these include botulinum toxin injections and anticonvulsants.
While the above are causes of hair loss, quite often your eyelash hairs will grow back.
If you have experienced the loss of eyelashes as a result of chemotherapy, for example, your lashes are likely to grow back within several weeks after stopping therapy.
Can I Speed Up Eyelash Growth?
There are a few ways you can speed up your eyelash growth, many include natural ways.
A good way forward is to ensure you are eating a healthy diet. Incorporating more protein is good, as your hair is made up of a lot of protein.
Protein has also been known to give the body amino acids, and those are needed to produce more keratin. Keratin can keep your eyelashes strong and healthy.
Biotin is a vitamin that is great for hair health as it supports the production of keratin. It is found in several foods such as kale, nuts, broccoli, onions, whole grains, and cauliflower.
Consuming fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin A and C, are great as they encourage cell and collagen production, which are beneficial for hair growth.
Some of these include avocados, berries, and dark orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.
Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3, can improve blood flow to the hair follicles, so consuming foods that contain this vitamin can improve hair growth.
Foods that contain this vitamin are chicken, turkey, fish, beef, peanuts, green peas, and avocados.
A diet that lacks iron, can also cause eyelashes to go into their resting phase. Eating foods that contain iron can prevent this, such as spinach, seafood, beans, and poultry.
Multivitamins
To reassure that you are getting the correct vitamins in your diet to encourage hair growth, you could try multivitamins that contain some nutrients mentioned above.
Some supplements are even specifically targeted at hair, nail, and skin health, so including these in your daily life could improve your eyelash health.
Lash Growth Serums
There are some over-the-counter eyelash growth serums that you can purchase. However, it is important to do your research on these before buying them, to make sure they are safe and have been tested.
You could also make a trip to your local drug store, where your pharmacist can provide you with what you are looking for.
Latisse
Latisse is an eyelash growth treatment that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How it works is, it increases the number of hair follicles produced in the active growth phase of your eyelashes. It comes in the form of a serum, but you should always consult your doctor before turning to this treatment.
Final Thoughts
Eyelashes are an essential and beneficial part of our eyes, they give us protection but also give off an appealing look.
It can be very disheartening to find that you are losing an excessive amount of eyelashes, but due to the fact that they are part of a growth cycle, they will most likely grow back!
If you are finding that your eyelashes aren’t growing back, then there could be an underlying condition causing this.
If this is happening, you should consult your doctor to determine the cause, and then you can discuss treatment for helping them grow back.