FALSE EYELASHES COULD BE LEADING TO EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS
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False eyelashes – could the trend lead to eye health troubles?
False eyelashes have always been popular, but in recent years it seems we have witnessed an explosion in the number of people either having eyelash extensions at beauty salons or buying shop-bought eyelashes to apply at home.
Perhaps the most surprising trend has been the shift in the consumer’s age, with the younger generation now regularly buying and wearing false eyelashes.
Recent research reveals that 33% of Gen Z women [those born between 1997 and 2012] use false eyelashes, compared to 17% of women overall.[1] Some research has suggested that the resurgence of false eyelashes is thought to be the result of eyelash innovations borne out of Korea and Japan – a trend which is now reaching across the globe[2].
With greater exposure to beauty experts leading to many Gen Z women wanting to emulate makeup looks, the false eyelash has become a beauty staple.
But at what cost? Incorrect application, the use of eyelash glue on the eyelid or close to the eye, the prolonged wearing of false eyelashes coupled with a lack of eye health hygiene regimes, may all give rise to eye infections, which is bad news for our eye health. Francesca Marchetti, optometrist, and adviser to GoldenEye® – a range of pharmacy drops and ointments to treat conjunctivitis, styes and blepharitis – explains why we need to be careful that our love of false eye lashes does not lead to a growth in eye infections.
Francesca Marchetti explains: “Recent research[3] has looked at the effect of eyelash extensions on the ocular surface and concluded that eyelash extensions can lead to an imbalance in ocular surface homeostasis, resulting in corneal epithelial defects (corneal epithelial defects are focal areas of epithelial (outermost corneal layer, loss) and short-term decreased tear film stability. These changes are as a result, bad news for our eye health and could impact our vision.
“A further study[4] in Cornea: the Journal of Cornea and External Disease – looked at ocular disorders due to eyelash extensions. This research data found that this included keratoconjunctivitis due to invasion of glue or removing agents in 64 patients, allergic blepharitis due to glues in 42 patients (4 of these patients developed both keratoconjunctivitis and allergic blepharitis), conjunctival erosion due to eyelid-fixing tapes in 3 patients, allergic blepharitis due to eyelid-fixing tapes in 1 patient, and subconjunctival haemorrhage due to compression during removal of extensions in 1 patient.
“It concluded that eyelash extension procedures may cause ocular disorders, such as keratoconjunctivitis and allergic blepharitis – all bad news for our eye health.”
Types of eye infections
Here we take a closer look at the more common eye infections false eyelashes can lead to. This also applies to everyday eye makeup like mascara or eyeshadow, for instance, if they are out of date as bacteria can start to grow on them, or if they are not removed properly from the eyelid.
Styes
A stye is a bacterial infection of either an eyelash follicle or a gland near the eyelashes that presents itself as a small swollen red lump on the eyelid and may also be filled with yellow pus. Styes can cause the eye to become itchy and watery.
Francesca Marchetti notes; “Typically, only one eye will be affected, and it important not to try to burst the stye yourself and refrain from rubbing the eyes. If infected with a stye you must not share towels with others.”
Conjunctivitis
Sometimes known as pink eye or red eye conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the membrane (or thin skin) on the inside of the eyelid.
Francesca Marchetti adds: “Conjunctivitis is often an infection caused by a virus or bacteria, though an allergy may also cause it. It happens when the blood vessels of the sclera (the white of the eye) become dilated, giving that red-eyed appearance.
“With conjunctivitis eyes will be red, feel warm, a little gritty, itchy and watery – and will produce pus, where some may find their eye lashes stick together, especially after sleeping.
“Conjunctivitis is contagious when the eyes are red and feel gritty, but if caused by allergies where the eyes are red and watery, it won’t be contagious.”
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a condition causes inflammation of the eyelids which can either be:
- Anterior blepharitis, inflammation at the base of the eyelid and can be caused by bacteria like staphylococci
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis (a condition that causes a red, flaky and itchy rash on your skin. It affects areas of your skin that tend to be greasier, like your face, scalp and chest), or posterior blepharitis[5], an inflammation of the meibomian glands, which help to produce tears.[6]
“Eye symptoms to look out for here are itchy, gritty eyes, sore eyelids and on waking eyelids stuck together because of crusty of flakiness of the skins that stick to the eyelashes. Always avoid wearing make-up and contact lenses while you have blepharitis, ” says Francesca Marchetti.
Eye Love With Goldeneye®
Styes, conjunctivitis and blepharitis are common, uncomfortable, and unsightly, but the good news is that they are all easily treatable, so they don’t have to be a headache to treat.
GoldenEye® Eye Ointment: Containing dibrompropamidine isetionate, GoldenEye® Eye Ointment is for conjunctivitis (red eye), styes and blepharitis (infection of the lid margins and eye follicles). GoldenEye® Eye Ointment contains antiseptics (not antibiotics) which help to stop bacteria from growing and multiplying.Always read the label.nFormulations with propamidine isetionate are effective disinfectants and also have antifungal properties.
GoldenEye®EyeDrops contain propamidine isethionate which works by stopping bacteria from growing and multiplying, which controls the numbers of bacteria causing an infection.[7] This eye drop also has antifungal properties. Always read the label.
GoldenEye® Antibiotic Eye Ointment contains the antibiotic chloramphenicol. This product is intended for acute bacterial conjunctivitis in adults and children aged 2 years and over. It should be reserved for acute infection to limit the spread of bacterial resistance to antibiotics (antibiotic resistance). Always read the label.
False Eyelashes And Eye Makeup: 6 Beauty Must’s
- Reputable, trusted beauty salon:Use a reputable, trusted beauty salon that has the right accreditation and training to apply false eyelashes and eyelash extensions. They are more likely to follow regulations and know how to apply false eyelash so there is minimal risk of an eye infection.
- Washmakeupoff:Don’t hop into bed with eye makeup still on. Wash it off. Otherwise, it can encourage bacteria to grow while we sleep, or when tired we tend to touch our eyes which may result in an eye infection if we are also rubbing mascara or eyeliner.
- Learnapplication:If applying false eyelashes at home read and follow the application instructions. Additional research or watching how-to-apply videos could also help.
- Ifit’sold,throwitout: Mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow and false eyelashes all have a shelf life If makeup has been open for longer than the recommended product life shelf there is increased risk of bacteria forming, which could result in skin sensitivities and eye conditions. The same with false eyelashes, if they are only meant to be worn once, or for a certain amount of time, once that is up they should be discarded.
- Don’t rub: When eyes are feeling itchy or gritty, the temptation is to rub them – but this actually makes things worse. Our hands are in contact with most things making it easy to transfer bacteria and germs to our faces, making eyes more at risk of infections such as styes, conjunctivitis or blepharitis.
- Act immediately: If you have an eye infection: Remove all false eyelashes and treat the eye infection immediately. If you have a minor eye health problem, the pharmacy should be your first port of call. The pharmacist can use their clinical expertise and practical knowledge to provide advice and treatment recommendations such as GoldenEye® Eye Ointment or GoldenEye® Eye Drops. Always read the label.
