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How long should your eyelashes be? Optimal eyelash Length for healthy eyes.

Most women are desirous of possessing long, dense eyelashes. And why not! After all, long, fluttering eyelashes do look attractive, don't they?  To achieve fuller this, they use false eyelashes or falsies. 

While falsies work their magic for a short-term, to get permanently fuller and longer lashes one may opt for eyelash transplantation. 

The price is as steep at $2500 for both eyes, but the experts claim that the extensions are permanent, which means like head hair, they keep growing. Here scalp hair is used and sewn into the lash line!

love long, dense lashes
fake lashes

If you don't want a transplant then you have an option of trying eyelash extensions. Here a professional glues a synthetic lash on each of your lashes. It's one of the most toughest, time-consuming procedure and is almost akin to microsurgery. 

The result is longer, thicker lashes. These extensions last a few weeks to 2 months and fall out when your natural lashes do. Read more about it here.

Usually celebrities sport these extensions.  However the overuse of eyelash extensions can result in permanent eyelash loss.  

This usually happens due to damage to the follicles as a result of chronic hair-pulling action. The weight of these extensions on the tiny, delicate lashes is almost a form of ‘traction alopecia’.

For those who aren't willing to shell out so many bucks or those who would prefer something natural can always  try out remedies from their kitchen cabinet like the good old olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil or even vaseline (petroleum jelly). 

While the efficacy of these ingredients and their effects on eyelash growth or density is a debatable topic; this doesn't deter eyelash-obsessed ladies from trying these remedies.

Then there are these eyelash growth serums (see here) which claim to provide dreamy, fuller lashes. And yes, Latisse, the FDA approved prescription drug ( www.latisse.com/whattoexpect.aspx) commonly used to treat glaucoma can also be used to get dense, long eyelashes.

 It's found to be effective, though you have to be wary of its side-effects. You can read reviews about Latisse here.

For  further enhancing the look of eyelashes, curling them with an eyelash curler (see here) not only makes them seem longer, but also helps to make the eyes appear larger and brighter.  

However to forgo the routine of curling lashes, some women opt for eyelash perming.  The complete procedure lasts for 45 minutes and the results last for 3 months. 

As eyelash perming does involve chemicals just like a hair perm,  you might want to know the risks involved. And it should never be done at home but only at a reputed spa from a qualified technician.
woman with fake long eyelashes

While it's not such a bad idea to aspire for dense, thick lashes, it's not such a good idea to have long lashes. Why so?


woman with red falsies

A recent study suggests that eyelashes have an optimum length and evolved for keeping the eyes from drying out.

According to this Science Daily article, a new study has found that the optimal eyelash length is one-third the width of the eye for humans and 21 other mammals. 

This optimal ratio helps in keeping the eye moist for longer  and protecting it against particles, while giving the best field of vision. Anything shorter or longer increases airflow around the eye and leads to more dust hitting the surface.

Wearing fakes or extensions allows more dust to hit the eyes and also dries them out.

"This is why long, elegant, fake eyelashes aren't ideal. They may look good, but they're not the best thing for the health of your eyes.", say the research team.

natural eyelashes natural lashes 
Optimal Length of eyelashes is one-third the width of the eye.

Diseases such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can cause eyelashes to fall off in clumps. The term for the severe loss of eyelashes is madarosis.

Damaging an eyelash follicle can also affect future eyelash growth. The research team notes that people with such problems can always opt for eyelash transplant or wear fake eyelashes provided they are of correct length as this offers extra protection and reduces dry eye.

The density of eyelashes also matters. The research team concurs that even if eyelashes are not of the correct length, more eyelashes are always better than less. They add, "If fake eyelashes are dense enough, they may give the same overall effect in protecting the eye even if they are longer than one-third."

So nothing wrong if you crave for dense lashes! But longer lashes is a no-no.

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