It is popping up everywhere: celebrities, your friends, and co-workers are trying out lash lifts and raving about it. You are dying to try out the new trend as well, but there is a question you cannot get out of your head: Do lash lifts make your eyelashes fall out?

If done correctly, lash lifts shouldn’t make your eyelashes fall out. When a technician process a lash lift past the recommended time, the chemicals may cause your lashes to fall out. Your lashes have a growth cycle, and getting a lash lift may cause those on their way out to fall out.

The chances of your lashes falling out because of a lash lift are small. However, you will have to do everything that is needed from your side to ensure it doesn’t happen and understand the natural lifespan of your eyelashes.

In this article, I will share why a lash lift can make your eyelashes fall out, and most importantly, what to do if it does.

Let’s dive into it!

Why Do Lash Lifts Make Your Eyelashes Fall Out?

Lash lifts are a fantastic treatment, giving women confidence and extra time as they are so low maintenance, and you don’t need eye makeup. There are three reasons your lashes might fall out, most of which do not even link to a lash lift.

The Wrong Lash Lift Technician

Unfortunately, any Sally from the street can buy lash lift kits, set up a salon, and claim to be a lash lift specialist. If you don’t research, you might end up in one of these beauticians’ chairs, and the result would be brutal.

A lash lift is a delicate, complicated treatment and a technician needs specific training. Secondly, they have to have the ability to investigate your lashes and make changes and choices accordingly.

From the moment you walk into a lash lift appointment until you walk out, every step is crucial to prevent damage to your eyelashes and, ultimately – keep them from falling out. 

A lash lift technician should always ask about your history regarding lash treatments, if you have ever done them and if you have had reactions to them. Secondly, they will have to look at your lashes and explore the texture, length, and quality of your lashes. They will tell you not to get a lash lift if it is not up to standard.

Those not trained in lash lifts wouldn’t even look at the condition of your eyelashes and jump straight into the treatment. There are so many factors that can cause damage to your lashes and make them fall out:

• They are not conducting a consultation to find out the history of eye treatments or if you might have any skin irritations or sensitivity.
• Choosing the wrong shield or rod size for your eye shape and lash length.
• Fail to perfect the placement of the shield or rod. If it is too far from the lash line, some chemicals can come into your eyes, causing problems other than eyelashes falling out.
• The treatment should only cover a part of your lashes, not up to the ends.
• The TIME the solution is left on should be customized by your lashes, the result you want, and your history. It also depends on which treatment you use. Some need more time to develop than others.

Technicians sometimes feel pressurized by clients wanting bigger and bolder results. The problem is that lash lifts are minor treatments. Technicians do it on your natural lash, and you must understand the limited effect.

The reason for a lash lift should be to give your lashes a natural makeup look, decrease maintenance, and keep your lashes stronger and healthier for longer.

You should research and find a reputable technician that won’t fall for pressure from a client that wants lash extension results with a lash lift. The trained, certified, and licensed technician will keep the safety of your lashes as her priority.

Once you’ve found a good lash artist, hold on to her like your life depends on it! If you get hooked on the look (most of my clients do!), you’ll probably end up getting a lash lift every 6-8 weeks. It’s great to build that relationship with someone you know is taking care of your lashes.

Your Eyelashes Has A Certain Lifetime

Your lashes falling out is a natural occurrence. In a four to five months cycle, there are three stages in which your lashes grow, stop, and fall out.¹

Stage Of Eyelash	What Happens In This Stage?	What Percentage Of Your Lashes Is In This Stage?	Time Spent In This Stage
Anagen Phase	During this stage, the lashes grow. The follicles receive nutrients directly from the blood supply.	40% of your lashes will be in this stage at any given time.	4 to 5 weeks
Catagen Phase	During this stage, the follicles move into transition. They are cut off from the blood flow, shrink, and get pushed out a bit.	20% of your lashes will be in this stage at any given time.	3 weeks
Telogen Phase	Also known as the resting stage, the follicles are dormant because of no blood supply	40% of your lashes will be in this stage at any given time.	Each lash will fall out in its own time and can take up to 14 weeks.

When you think your lashes are falling out because of a lash lift, first analyze it accordingly by the stages of your lash growth, and then you can decide if it is natural or maybe because of chemicals.

The technician places the treatment on all your lashes. Those in the Telogen phase that was about to fall out might be prone to fall out faster because of the treatment. It is because they are dormant and more brittle than the rest. If your lashes fall out initially after the lash lift and then stop, this might be the reason.

Your Lifestyle Can Cause Your Lashes To Fall Out

You might be doing things as daily habits that might be causing your lashes to fall out prematurely. Focus on avoiding these things or getting them under control, and you will have more luscious lashes.

1. Eyelash curlers – If you press these curlers down on your lashes repeatedly, it will cause physical damage to the hairs and break them. 
2. Stress – Just like you lose hair on your head because of stress, you also lose eyelashes. The stress hormones push the hair into the Telogen phase prematurely.
3. Rubbing your lashes – rubbing or pulling on them will weaken the follicles and make them fall out. Try to avoid this and be gentle when removing eye makeup.
4. Lack of nutrients – Omega fatty acids enhance hair growth and proteins like collagen.
5. Wearing eye makeup overnight – not removing your eye makeup thoroughly before bed will cause the hair shaft to clog and not receive nutrients.

What to Do if Your Eyelashes Fall Out After a Bad Lash Lift

First, let me just emphasize here that this should never happen. In my salon, I’ve never experienced this, and I would never put a client through this.

Having said that, if you end up with a bad lash lift that makes your lashes fall out, there is not a whole lot you can do, unfortunately.

If your eyelashes are in an “OK” state, meaning some of them are still clinging on but are weak, you can try doing an at-home protein treatment once a week. This will help to strengthen your lashes and hopefully promote growth.

I would also recommend using a lash serum to help nourish your lashes. There is clinical data showing that eyelash growth serums do indeed work and provide good results.

If your eyelashes are beyond repair and have all fallen out, you unfortunately just have to wait for them to grow back. This usually takes around 4-6 weeks.

FAQ

Key Takeaways

The only reason your lashes would fall out because of a lash lift is when the technician you used is not accredited. The lash lift procedure is delicate and precise. If the technician doesn’t know the necessary training, the treatment will likely end badly.

Not consulting you before the treatment to find out your history with eye treatments, and investigating the condition of your lashes to ensure you are eligible for a lash lift, is the start of trouble.

Experienced technicians will know which size shield or rod to use on your eye, the placement of the shield, and most importantly – the time the solution should develop on your lashes. If the beautician does any of these factors wrong, it can cause your lashes to fall out.

Other reasons lashes fall out are, firstly, the natural lifespan of eyelashes – they have three stages of hair growth that stretch over four to five months. Secondly, there are lifestyle choices you might be making that will cause your hair to fall out or grow slower.

References

1. Sarah Aumond – School of Optometry at the University of Montréal (2018). The Eyelash Follicle Features And Anomalies: A Review. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6147748/ (Accessed 17 June 2022).