Stay Away: Don't Get Eyelash Extensions If You Have These Eye Conditions

As eyelash stylists, we work on a very sensitive sensory organ: the human eye. That’s why it’s always our responsibility to carefully examine our clients’ eyes before performing a procedure such as eyelash extensions. That’s why it’s important for us today to talk about eye diseases and provide some education on the topic.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, can have various causes. As eyelash stylists, we can easily recognize it by certain symptoms. Conjunctivitis causes increased blood flow to the conjunctiva, resulting in redness. In addition, the eyelid slit narrows, and there is increased tearing. The affected person is sensitive to light, often squints, and complains of itching and a foreign body sensation. The eyes feel like they’re burning. In some cases, conjunctivitis can also cause severe pain. If you notice any of these symptoms in your clients, you should refer them to a doctor and under no circumstances perform any eyelash treatments.

The Stye

A stye is easy to identify, as it usually presents as a purulent inflammation of the eyelid glands in the form of an abscess. Although a stye is usually harmless, it should be examined by a doctor. Until then, the eye should not be touched—and certainly not to apply any treatment. The eyes reveal a great deal about a person’s state of health. For example, a chronic condition can indicate other illnesses, such as previously undiagnosed diabetes or a gastrointestinal disorder. To protect our customers, we therefore recommend consulting a doctor even in the case of what may seem like a minor issue such as a stye.

Eyelid Inflammation

The medical term “blepharitis” refers to inflammation of the eyelid margins, which often occurs alongside conjunctivitis. The eyelids and eyelashes become stuck together—usually after sleeping—and there is a sensation of a foreign body in the eye. The eyelid margin is red, burns, itches, and is swollen. In addition, eyelashes may fall out. In this case, it is especially important to maintain good eyelid margin hygiene; the eye must be kept clean at all times. Contact lenses and any type of eye makeup should be avoided. In this case, we also refer patients to their primary care physician or an ophthalmologist; under no circumstances do we administer treatment or make a diagnosis ourselves.

Demodex Mites

Blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelid margins, can also be caused by a mite infestation. In addition to the symptoms listed above, this can lead to permanent damage to the eyelashes. This is because eye mites feed on the cells of the hair follicle, causing it to loosen or shift. Additionally, they can cause micro-injuries, leading to keratinization of the skin cells around the follicle. This keratinization is then visible as a deposit along the lash line. If the follicle is subjected to a persistent infestation, it can lead to impaired eyelash growth. In this case, the eyelashes grow in the wrong direction, causing additional irritation to the cornea due to constant friction.

Herpes Viruses

These viruses are highly contagious. Transmission occurs through saliva contact, smear infection, and mucous membrane contact. In this case, the client should not be treated.

The only thing we as eyelash stylists can do in such cases is to recommend a visit to a doctor. Treatment should never be performed on an affected eye. Once a doctor has provided a diagnosis and we are able to welcome our clients back to the studio, we emphasize the importance of eyelash hygiene. This is at our discretion and can protect clients from further eye diseases in the long run. After all, many—though not all—eye diseases can be prevented with proper hygiene.

Your CFB Cosmetics® Team