Do eyelashes grow back when they fall out?

Eyelash loss or thinning can occur for a variety of reasons - eyelash thinning and falling out due to allergic reactions to makeup or cancer treatments, loss from illness or from actual plucking of the eyelashes.No matter how the loss of the eyelash happens the anxiety and embarrassment of dealing with it can be stressful.If you understand the growth process you may be better able to deal with the problem.

Hair grows in cycles and that includes the eyelash too.The whole cycle includes two phases, a long growing phase and a resting phase.At the end of the resting phase the hair will fall out.Don't panic at this news because when the hair falls out another one begins to grow in the follicle.The new hair begins the cycle over.The eyelash will grow for one to six months and then rest, fallout and start over.Scalp hair has a growing phase of 2 to 6 years.We lose about fifty to one hundred head hair a day because they have reached the end of their cycle and it is time for them to fall out.We lose far less eyelashes in a day than head hair.Thank goodness for small favors.

Lashes do grow back, eventually.If you have eyelash loss you will typically see them growing back within a few weeks.It will take them about six weeks or more to be more than stubs.Supposedly hairs grow faster in the spring and summer and slower in the fall and winter.Ultimately the lashes grow to a particular length so the fact that they grow faster during some months than others does not mean they will grow longer, just faster.

Whether you have eyelash loss or not there are several things you can do to prevent it from starting.

First, don't use false eyelashes on a regular basis.The pulling that occurs can pull lashes out of their follicles before their time to go arrives.Pulling or plucking from the follicle could cause damage to the follicle and that means growth may be slower or not occur at all.If you are waiting for eyelashes to grow back, don't use false eyelashes to cover that fact up.Doing so may make the whole process take even longer.Every time you tug on those fake ones they could dislodge what lashes you do have.

Second, be aware of the products you are putting on your eyes.Throw out makeup and replace it every 4 to 6 months.Cosmetic companies are not required to label their products with this type of direction.Most cosmetic companies perform studies on the stability of their products over long periods of time, say 1 to 3 years.These studies don't usually include how the consumer would actually use the product so the results have more to do with unopened product shelf life than with practical use.Products opened and in use can become contaminated and grow bacteria that may be harmful to your eyes and their lashes.

Mascara should be disposed of every three months due to the high risk of possible infection.Do not ever use saliva or water to soften dried mascara or share your mascara with anyone else.This is a sure way of getting an infection that could cause eyelash loss.

Consult your physician if the eyelash loss is not recovered in a few months or if your eyes are red, puffy, or inflamed.These are signs of serious problems that need a doctor's attention.