I remember the first time I tried semi-permanent lash extension (years ago when it was still at its pioneering days). The immediate appearance of full luscious lashes made me whoop with joy inside. The days following it … having to “tread” very delicately around my eyes; not being able to rub or wash them properly made me wonder if this was all worth it. It even got me swearing at myself every time I look at the mirror when a couple of strands started to break off. I say it’s the price you pay for vanity.
I decided to move on to something less permanent – falsies. More hassle no doubt having to fix them on myself but much more “user friendly” because I could remove them the minute I reached the taxi! Above all, when I wore the more dramatic feathery ones at parties, no one dared bat an eye at me (well, I was in the dark most of the times after all).
With the surge of the lash trend, lash extensions, prescription and nonprescription lashes are batting their way into everyone’s makeup bags. This beauty obsession has led to a boom in beauty parlours offering eyelash services where the phrase “let us mink your wink” is often heard.
Recently, a friend who’s working in the medical field approached me about her concerns having seen many women come into the clinic seeking help for damaged or loss of eyelashes as a result of overuse of eyelash extensions. Like her, I feel a duty to let women know the cost of vanity.
The difficulty of eyelash extensions is that constant use of lash glue can irritate the skin while special removal creams for the removal of falsies can also cause skin irritation, wrinkling and foreign body entering the eyes and thus affecting vision. "The lash root is very delicate and lashes can easily break due to rough daily habits," says Dr Christopher Khng, Medical Director, of Eyewise Vision clinic. Remember that your lashes serve a purpose beyond beauty.
Tips to consider
1. Take it easy. Never tug at your lashes, and avoid rubbing your eyes harshly.
2. When using a lash curler, don't pull on your eyelids.
3. Do not use mascaras that are more than six months old. This helps to keep your mascara free of germs that can lead to infection. And remove your mascara before you go to sleep because any stiffness from the mascara can also break lashes.
4. Use gentle eye makeup remover or oil cleanser. Use gentle soft movements like patting or dabbing. A medical grade sterilid eyelid cleansing gel like SteriLid by Thera Tears is gentle yet effective for cleaning the lids.
5. Remove clumps while the mascara is still wet and easy to comb through.
Lastly, you may want to consider Latisse solution, an alternative to the natural growth of lashes. It has been used as a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis (lack of lashes) since 2009. Although side effects like irritation and darkening of the skin on the eyelid (which has been reported to be reversible after stopping the drug) as well as turning light eye colours brown cited, many including myself who have tried it did not suffer any of those side effects, only much healthier and fuller looking lashes.
