Is it natural for eyelashes to fall out?
As a child, you may have loved finding a stray eyelash on your cheek so you could blow it off of your finger and make a wish. As an adult, you might be less excited to notice your eyelashes falling out. It’s natural to wonder if they will ever grow back. But, just like hair on your head, eyelashes grow, fall out, and regrow again in a natural cycle.
Why do eyelashes fall out?
If you wear mascara and your eyelashes fall out excessively, you may be allergic to the product. Or you may be applying the mascara too roughly. Excessive eyelash loss can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
These can include:
alopecia areata, scleroderma,hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, lupus
Extreme eyelash loss can also be caused by blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelids. Blepharitis can be caused by an allergy, infection, or trauma.
You may also experience temporary eyelash loss if you are undergoing chemotherapy.
If there’s a medical reason for your eyelash loss, your doctor may be able to treat the underlying cause. This can result in the return of typical eyelash growth.
If there isn’t a root cause for your eyelash loss and you wish to speed up lash growth, there are several medically sound ways to do this.
What’s the natural eyelash growth cycle?
The average adult has 100 to 150 Trusted Source upper eyelashes and 50 to 75 Trusted Source lower lashes on each lid. Each eyelash has a growth cycle that includes three phases:
Anagen phase
This is the growth period for each eyelash. This phase typically lasts from two weeksTrusted Source. If your eyelash falls out during this time, it won’t grow back right away.
CATAGEN (TRANSITION)
PHASE In this phase, the hair follicle shrinks, detaches from the blood supply, and the eyelash stops growing. Named the ‘transition phase’, lashes maintain length gained from the Anagen phase while waiting for the next phase. This stage lasts for 2 – 3 weeks.
If an eyelash unnaturally falls out (or is pulled out) during this phase, that follicle stays empty while it completes this phase and moves on to Telogen. That means you’ll have an empty spot until that follicle reaches the Anagen phase again.
Telogen phase
This is the longest-lasting phase, lasting four to nine monthsTrusted Source. It is considered to be the resting period before your eyelash falls out and a new one grows in its place.
At any given time, you can have eyelashes going through all three phases. The complete eyelash cycle can last anywhere from five to 11 months Trusted Source. It’s natural to lose a few lashes on most days, even if you don’t notice them falling out.
