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Eyelash extensions

What are eyelash extensions?

Having fibres glued to your eyelashes to increase their length.

What do eyelash extensions do?

  • Eyes

    Makes them look bigger

How long do eyelash extensions last?

Eyelash extensions last for several weeks.

What should I be aware of?

Eyelash extensions may cause minor health side effects such as pain or itching 1, and in some cases may irritate the eyes causing blepharitis or conjunctivitis 2. If you are experiencing side effects you may wish to contact your pharmacist or GP for advice as eye drops may help you.

Are there other options?

If you want a more temporary way to achieve the same effect, you could consider false eyelashes or eyelash curling.

How do I get eyelash extensions?

Eyelash extensions are applied by trained beauticians who individually glue longer fibres onto each of your existing eyelashes.

Eyelash extensions are applied in beauty salons. There are currently no national standards for beauty salons, and anyone can legally start a salon in most parts of the country. However, many salons have voluntarily joined professional organisations that maintain registers of beauticians who have a minimum level of educational qualifications to be able to provide safe and hygienic treatment.

You can search for salons on the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTAC) database, or look whether the salon advertises membership of professional organisations such as the Health and Beauty Industry Authority or the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses.

References

  1. 1.
    Amano, Y and Nishiwaki, Y (2013) “National survey on eyelash extensions and their related health problems.” Nihon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene, 68(3), pp. 168–174. Link
  2. 2.
    Amano, Yuki, Sugimoto, Yuka and Sugita, Minoru (2012) “Ocular disorders due to eyelash extensions.” Cornea, 31(2), pp. 121–125. Link

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