The Dangers of Eyelash Trimming: Risks You Should Know
“Sore eyelashes” have surged +130 percent in the past week thanks to a dangerous trend catching on with young men. Eyelash trimming to appear more masculine is not just another viral trend—experts warn that it risks infection and even serious eye damage.
According to a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Usiwoma Abugo, MD, eyelash trimming comes with serious risks. “If you cut your eyelashes too short, you compromise their protection of your eye, and risk infection or even injury,” he explains. “Additionally, having scissors, even small ones, near your eye to cut your lashes is a safety risk. Poking your eye with something sharp can lead to some serious eye injuries, including loss of eyesight if you’re not careful.”
Eyelash Trimming Stops Your Lashes from Doing Their Job
“Beauty trends aside, per the American Academy of Ophthalmology, eyelashes have an important job—they keep dust, dirt and other substances out of your eyes,” Dr. Abugo says.
Aside from protecting your eye from debris and dust, your lashes provide significant UV protection. Research published in Computers in Biology and Medicine found that eyelashes “reduce ultraviolet light received by the cornea of about 12–14%.”
Lashes also act as “human whiskers,” that detect incoming movement and initiate our protective blinking response.
Ivan Schwab, MD, professor of ophthalmology at the University of California, Davis, says eyelashes are “unique among body hair. Healthy lashes are believed to never go gray,” he says. “They are among the shortest hairs on the body with the longest lifespan. And the melanocytes (pigment cells) at the base of eyelash follicles rarely, if ever, become malignant.”
The risks associated with eyelash trimming go far beyond irritation. This trend harms a delicate and critically important structure. Cutting your eyelashes risks the health and safety of your eyes, and is not worth the risk. There are far safer ways to appear more traditionally masculine.
