Derm DMs: Why Are My Eyelashes Falling Out?

Eyelash loss is real. Whether you lose a few lashes here and there when taking off your makeup, or just had your extensions removed, lash loss is super common. We tapped skincare.com consultant and Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, Joshua Zeichner, MD, to explain why it could happen and give us some tips to help lessen lash loss. Here’s what he had to say.

What Are the Main Causes of Eyelash Loss?

“Just like the hair on your head, eyelashes fall out as part of their normal growth cycle,” says Dr. Zeichner. This means that all hairs have an active growing phase, a resting phase and degenerative phase. “Then, the follicle creates a new hair and the process starts over,” he says. In some cases, medical conditions like alopecia can make you develop bald patches on the scalp, but can also affect eyelashes. As far as other reasons, Dr. Zeichner says that severe allergies, irritation through rubbing eyes, and even eyelash extensions could be the culprit. “I commonly see patients in the office who have sparse eyelashes after extensions have been removed,” he notes.

What Can You Do to Help Lessen Lash Loss When Removing Makeup?

If you’re noticing lash loss while you remove eye makeup, one of the easiest ways to help  is by being gentle on your lashes during makeup removal. “Over rubbing can lead to inflammation, which may interfere with optimal functioning of follicles,” says Dr. Zeichner, “and it can even sometimes pull eyelashes right out.”

There are also a variety of serums on the market that can help. “Many contain conditioning ingredients to hydrate the current lash,” says Dr. Zeichner. The L’Oréal Paris Lash Serum Solution, for example, conditions and cares for lashes with a specially formulated complex of glycerin, pro-vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid, madecassoside and arginine. After using it two times a day for four weeks, seven out of ten women saw less lash loss during makeup removal and had denser, thicker-looking lash fringe.

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