I don't wash my lashes regularly- Whats the worst that could happen?

Caring for your lash extensions is so important but what happens if you don't clean them regularly?

1. Decreases retention!

Sometimes clients ask, "If I get my lashes wet, won't they just fall out faster?" the answer simply is- no. Now that you're styling your new extensions it creates more surface area for makeup, dead skin cells and oils to build up. Your #1 enemy for eyelash extensions are oils. Your body produces these naturally throughout the day and not cleaning them off deteriorates the extensions bond to your natural lash. Your lashes will shed prematurely.

2. Blepharitis- Inflamed Eyelids

Not washing your lashes regularly can cause blepharitis. Blepharitis can be caused by an accumulation of oils, dead skin cells and makeup. Not cleaning these off causes bacteria build up in the lash line leading to some of the following symptoms:

• A gritty feeling in your eyes, and the sensation that there's a foreign object inside

• Over-sensitivity to light

• Burning and stinging eyes

• Flaking or crusting at the base of lashes

• Itchy, red eyelids

• Inflamed eyelids

• Dryness

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please get your extensions removed and go see your eye care professional.

3. Lash Mites- Demodex

These are microscopic mites which naturally live in everyone's eyelashes in small numbers. They live in your eyelash hair follicles, where they feed off of skin cells which line the follicle. Dirty lashes? Demodex LOVE these because the build up of bacteria and dead skin cells are food for them. With extra food, they leave the hair follicle and crawl up the hair shaft for this extra sustenance. The do not posses excretory organs, so everything they consume stays within their body. Throughout their life of mostly 3 weeks, they eat, lay eggs and die. This build up of eggs, dead or alive Demodex creates an inflammatory response within your body and is the most common cause of Blepharitis. Most times an overgrowth of Demodex symptoms are:

• itchy or scaly skin

• redness

• increased skin sensitivity

• burning sensation

• skin that feels rough like sandpaper

• eczema

Picture showing a Demodex mite

Here are some of the links which helped me write this article:

https://cliradex.com/blog/2019/08/08/myths-facts-demodex-blepharitis/

https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know-about-the-mites-that-eat-crawl-and-have-sex-on-your-face

Moral of the story is- Wash your lashes!

-Dee