Do Eyelash Extensions Ruin Your Natural Eyelashes?
Hello, Lash lovers! Today we will be diving into a topic that is at the front of a lot of our minds. We’ve all wondered: Do eyelash extensions ruin your eyelashes, and do eyelash extensions make your eyelashes fall out?
My best friend in college once went to a local school to get lash extensions applied. If you were to ask her today if eyelash extensions make your eyelashes fall out, she would tell you yes! Sadly, this is the case for a lot of people who take the opportunity to get eyelash extensions at a bargain price. More often than not, the price you pay directly reflects the experience level of the lash artist.
So often we accept the claims that people make without thoroughly researching and coming to our own conclusions. Lucky for you, the team at My Absolute Beauty has already set out to find the answer to your questions.
We laid out the questions: “Do eyelash extensions ruin your eyelashes?” and “Do eyelash extensions make your eyelashes fall out?” For all of our lash professionals to answer, and boy, did they have a lot to say!
As the responses came flooding in, we noticed a trend. But don’t take our word for it—if you are hungry for lash extension knowledge, keep reading!
The Lash Cycle
To begin, you must familiarize yourself with the lash cycle. A large number of people are unaware that, just like your hair, lashes are continuously moving through a growth cycle. Eyelashes are genetically programmed to grow to a certain length, rest, fall out, and then regrow.
Overview:
Lash hair begins growing in a stage called Anagen. Once the lash reaches full length, it enters the next stage of the lash cycle: Catagen. During the Catagen phase, the lash stops growing, and the follicle begins to shrink. Next, the lash goes through the Telogen phase. During Telogen, the lash rests in place until it naturally falls out. After the lash falls, the cycle begins again.
To simplify, the lash cycle works like this:
- Anagen – Growth Phase
- Catagen – Transition Phase
- Telogen – Rest Phase: Lasts Until Lash Falls Out Naturally
- Repeat!
How long does each phase last?
The Anagen phase can last from 4-6 weeks while your lashes grow to the length where they will enter the Catagen phase. Lashes remain in the catagen phase for 2-3 weeks. After catagen, lashes move into the Telogen phase. Telogen is the longest phase of the lash cycle, with lashes remaining in Telogen for up to 3 months, until the lashes naturally fall out.
What the lash cycle teaches you:
Understanding the lash cycle is great, but what is the takeaway? Prepare yourself for a shock: Your lashes are falling out and re-growing constantly! Once you understand that, you will be better equipped to make a judgment on whether or not eyelash extensions ruin your eyelashes or cause them to fall out.
Words From The Professionals
Do eyelash extensions ruin your eyelashes, or do they make your lashes fall out? We threw these questions out to our lash professionals across the country, and we have compiled their responses just for you!
Kintija:
“People get worried when they see natural lashes fall with the extensions. Most often, it’s a natural lash cycle that is in process and if glue lasted till the end of the cycle – its only good news. Although in rare cases, it could be an overload on the natural lash- but then there would be a significant loss of natural lashes in a short space of time. 2-3 a day is normal.”
Mindy:
“As long as the lashes are applied safely, well isolated, and not too heavy for the natural lash it’s applied to, they aren’t damaging the natural lash! Our lashes have a shedding cycle and when that new Anagen lash pushes out the mature lash, the clients will sometimes be concerned they are losing lashes.
Shedding is normal! Premature shedding or breakage can happen if the extension is too heavy. Lash extensions can also be damaging if they are not well taken care of!
A whole host of problems can happen if the client is not regularly washing their lashes! Bacteria and dust can build up and cause the client problems. Most lash “damage” that we see occurs from too much weight being added or poor isolation.”
Crystal:
“One of the biggest factors is educating clients on aftercare. Their hygiene is important to address at every visit. Ensuring they are cleaning their extensions properly, removing all makeup before bed and appointments, brushing them(never while wet) daily. Letting them know to stay away from steam and open flames.
We can apply lashes properly, follow excellent sanitation and safety. At the end of the day, it is up to the client to care for them!”
Melissa:
“A lot of clients forget how short their natural lashes were before they started wearing extensions and when they take them off they think their lashes are shorter than before and ruined.”
Valerie:
“When lash extensions are applied correctly, cleaned often, and maintained by a professional often, they can be worn indefinitely without causing damage. Artists should engage in updated techniques and safety education. Clients need to be educated on proper daily care.
Alex:
“Natural lash care relies half on the artist and half on the client. We as artists can do our best to make sure proper isolation, the correct weight, and the appropriate method for the client are used. But ultimately it comes down to the client’s home care once they leave the studio! If they are cleansing them properly and are not picking or causing trauma to the lashes, there shouldn’t be any issues.
I answer questions daily from people who are scared to get lash extensions- especially in my area where it is unregulated- because they fear it will ruin their natural lashes! When done incorrectly, they can, but when done by a trained professional there should not be any issues. As for shedding, I remind them we lose anywhere from 2-5 lashes a day, and they are just a tad more noticeable when we have dark extensions attached to them.”
Susan:
“If the tech places them correctly (proper extension for the proper natural lash) there’s no damage. Informing the client that her lashes grow and shed helps them understand what to expect and of course lash hygiene. If they don’t clean them properly, they will invite mites and other nasty stuff which compromise the health of their natural lash hence premature shedding.”
Christine:
“As long as they are applied to keep the integrity of the natural lash at the utmost importance, there should not be any ruining. Applying the appropriate weight and length to the NL is very important to the longevity of wear as well as the health of the lashes. Proper isolation is important so that lashes do not adhere together and one lash pulls another out before it’s ready! Natural does not mean no length! Full does not mean added drama. Understanding the client’s expectations and educating the client on what’s best for the lash, both parties are happy with no damage or disappointment.”
What We’ve Learned
We have read from the knowledge of lash professionals around the world, and now it’s time to revisit one of our original questions.
Do Eyelash Extensions Ruin Your Eyelashes?
Do eyelash extensions ruin your eyelashes? To put it simply, no! Our lash professionals make it clear that the health of your lashes starts with finding an experienced artist to apply your lashes. Once you have done that, the rest is up to you! Be sure to follow through with good lash hygiene and aftercare to make sure your lashes are properly taken care of.
Do Eyelash Extensions Make Your Eyelashes Fall Out?
After learning about the lash cycle, you know that your lashes naturally fall out at a steady pace. Our lash professionals make sure to inform their clients that lash extensions should be applied with the utmost care and precision to avoid any clumping or overloading that may cause the lashes to fall out earlier than they should. As long as you follow the advice of your lash artist, you should not have issues with lashes falling out at an increased rate.
So, Should You Get Extensions?
Ultimately, whether or not eyelash extensions are the right lash treatment is up to you! This blog has shown that many of the issues that clients encounter are easily avoidable if you do your research beforehand and aftercare once you are done. We hope to see you sporting some sultry lashes of your own soon!
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