Now, if you think that you're not blessed with those luscious lashes, don't be discouraged. Get to know several reasons why your eyelashes are shorter and learn practical ways to make those lashes longer and thicker.
Why Do You Have Shorter Eyelashes?
1. Aging
When you grow old, most metabolic processes in the body also slow down, including your hair growth. Remember that your hair's life cycle has three phases: the anagen or growth stage, catagen or transitional stage, and telogen or resting stage. As you age, more hair follicles in the resting phase do not regrow once again and cause hair shedding.
2. Menopause
As life commences at forty, women become more inclined to shorter eyelash growth. They start experiencing the undesirable effects of menopause. Levels of female hormones begin to decline during this time. Because of this hormonal imbalance, collagen production is depleted, making it harder for the body to produce longer and fuller eyelashes.
3. Skin Conditions
Your eyelash strands are attached to your eyelids. When something goes wrong with these folds, your lashes will be affected. The most common eyelid condition is a sty. Rubbing your eyes and using dirty eyelash tools can cause bacterial infection on your lids, affecting and clogging your hair follicles.
Another skin condition known as blepharitis occurs when there is an eyelid inflammation because of clogged pores. Your skin's sebum may congest your follicles, thereby prevent more lashes from popping out. Symptoms like redness, itchiness, swelling, and crusting of the eyelids are some indications of blepharitis.
4. Physical Stress
Your eyelashes are delicate strands atop your eyelids. Abrasive rubbing and constant tugging of lashes are some of the everyday physical stressors of your eyelashes. These habits can disrupt your hair's normal life cycle, forcing your lashes in the growth stage to undergo telogen and shed by force.
5. Mental Stress
Your brain is responsible for many bodily functions, and feeling stressed or anxious can create a ripple of adverse effects. When your body undergoes stressful situations, your body's hormonal levels fluctuate, thereby disrupting the regular flow of metabolic processes. Mental stress can prevent your hormonal glands from producing growth-boosting hormones. Your follicles may begin rejecting nutrient absorption, which, of course, can affect hair growth.
6. Allergic reactions
Be wary of your favorite eyelash products because they might be counterproductive. Some hair growth items may contain allergens. These chemical substances can trigger allergic reactions and cause eyelash strands to become brittle and weak. In turn, these adverse effects lead to lash breakage, making your eyelashes look shorter.
Therefore, to avoid allergic reactions, use products free from fragrance, synthetic pigments, parabens, and hydrophobic chemicals.
7. Chemotherapy
Any cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy may experience hair loss as a noticeable side effect. You lose hair on the scalp, but your eyebrows and eyelashes also begin to shed. This radiation therapy helps kill cancer cells, but it can also affect the healthy ones, including your thriving hair cells. Hair cell destruction leads to the death of your hair follicles and shedding of your hair.
8. Eyelash Hair Loss
Even your eyelashes are unsafe from alopecia. Madarosis is a hair loss condition that explicitly targets your eyebrows and eyelashes. This type of alopecia can happen due to several reasons: skin ailments, injuries, and other infections. A person suffering from madarosis may experience thinning lashes and eyelash breakage before losing all the feathery strands.
Exposing Eyelash Myths
1. Eyelash extensions impede hair growth.
The lash extensions themselves do not prevent eyelash growth. However, there are factors related to these extensions which can affect your blooming eyelashes. First, your lash adhesive may contain chemicals that can harm the lashes. Second, the process of removing the extensions may also involve your natural strands. Thus, careless application and removal of falsies can hinder eyelash growth.2. Trimming your eyelashes will make the strands longer.
Let's get straight to the severe perils of trimming your lashes. Cutting those thin strands puts your eyes at risk. Any object capable of clipping your hair is enough to poke your eyeballs and damage your eyesight.
Your eyelashes do not get longer by mere trimming, since your hair follows the natural order of its life cycle. If those lashes aren't in the growth phase, your strands won't grow any longer. Pruning the lashes will only make the ends blunt, creating a thicker eyelash look.
3. Falsies are too heavy for your natural eyelashes.
When it comes to new lashes, choose quality over quantity. High-end falsies are ultra-lightweight hair strands that serve as ideal eyelash extensions. They don't cause your eyelashes to fall out, simply because your lashes naturally shed from time to time. Hence, make your eyes pop using your falsies.
How to Lengthen your Eyelashes
How can you rock those long eyelashes? Here are some helpful tips to lengthen those lashes.
1. Remove eye makeup before sleeping.
Eye makeup can amplify the beauty of your eyes. However, do not let your eye products stay on your eyelids and lashes for too long. Oil and dirt may block your eyelid pores and prompt skin infections. Microbes may also seep in your pores and irritate your hair follicles.
Gently get rid of eye makeup by using a mild makeup remover. Beauty experts recommend oil-based cleansers to break down easily the makeup chemicals. Just pour an adequate amount of the remover on your cotton pad. Then, damp your eyelids and eyelashes using the pad for a few seconds. Softly swab to remove the pigments from your eyes and lashes.
2. Do not rub your eyes.
It's a common mistake for everybody to rub their eye when it feels itchy. Not only is it harsh for your skin, but it can weaken the strands attached to your eyelids. Frequent rubbing of your eyes can damage the hair cuticles on your lashes, leading to hair breakage.
If your eyes begin to itch, wash your eyes under running water. You can also use a prescribed eye drop solution to cleanse away dirt and bacteria.
3. Use natural and safe eyelash growth products.
Beauty stores provide women with numerous products for eyelash growth. However, not all items are safe and effective for your lashes. Thus, you have to be cautious of the products that you use for growth augmentation. You must educate yourself in identifying the harmful chemicals for your lashes. Choose eyelash-boosting serums, conditioners, and oils that are plant-based and toxic-free.
Eyeing for Eyelash Products
Lash conditioners, growth serums, eyelash curlers, and lengthening mascara are amongst the in-demand eyelash products circulating in the market. How do these products intensify and boost eyelash growth? Let's check them one by one.
Women desire lashes as soft as a cotton ball. This eyelash characteristic makes curling and makeup application more comfortable and faster. A lash conditioner repairs your hair cuticles, thereby keeping your hair soft and moisturized.
Aside from conditioners, eyelash serums are also famous growth concoctions for your lashes. These products contain fatty acids and essential oils, which can prolong the lifespan of your eyelashes. With the help of these packed nutrients, you can prevent eyelash shedding and stimulate its growth phase. Apply your growth serum regularly to get fuller and longer lashes in no time.
Long yet droopy lashes can make those strands look shorter. Thanks to eyelash curlers, your lashes become more visible and lengthened. Ensure that your eyelash tool suits the shape and width of your eyelids for smoother curling.
Now, for instant yet temporary long lashes, you may opt to buy and use a lengthening mascara to solve your short eyelash problem right away. How does lengthening mascara work? Its liquid attaches to your hair fibers and lifts the lashes in an upward direction. Applying this kind of mascara gives your lashes a more prolonged and fuller effect.
Beware of water-proof mascara products, since they contain hydrophobic chemicals. You can only break down the mascara pigments by using an oil-based substance. Therefore, gently cleanse the eyelash makeup by using an oil-based makeup remover.
The Eyelash Goals
Your hair growth dreams can go beyond your scalp. Your long and luscious lashes protect your eyes while intensifying your beauty. Do not fret over your short eyelashes yet. Find the root of the problem to solve your eyelash mishap. It is vital to nourish your lashes with all the essential hair growth vitamins and halt from all bad eyelash care habits. In due time, you'll be able to achieve your eyelash goals.
Get More.
Don't be contented with having short eyelashes. Obtain the best eyelash growth products loaded with essential hair vitamins. Use an eyelash growth serum to prevent your lashes from experiencing hair loss.