Doctors Are Sending Out A Warning For People With Eyelash Extensions

For any parents who's child has come home from school with head lice you know how awful that can be to get rid of it and to sanitize your whole house. Can you imagine lice on your eyelash extensions? Gross, Yes but it is a real thing. You may be the envy of your friends and co workers with your big Bambi eyelashes but if you are not taking proper care of them this could happen.

Optometrists say they are seeing more cases of eyelash lice due to the popularity of eyelash extensions. "Lash lice" or its medical term, Demodex, can occur when bacteria builds up along the lash line.

Kalie Belanger, is a lash artist in Grand Rapids Michigan at Siren and Proper Lash Lounge and Brow Bar and she said  "Everyone has lash mites. That’s perfectly normal. They keep our lash line nice and healthy, but when there is an over abundant food source—so say you’re not cleaning your lashes and a bunch of debris, oils, dead skin cells are kind of building up—that causes them to over produce."

Belanger went on to say that a common misconception people have with lash extensions is if I just leave them alone they will last longer, but actually the opposite is true. They should be cleaned daily and not with baby shampoo, that is not strong enough.

Optometrist Dr. Sairah Malik recommends any cleanser that has a diluted form of tea tree and to apply it daily. Symptoms of lash lice include itchiness, redness, and inflammation, among others. It is also recommended that you give your eyes a break from the extensions every once in a while. For more on this story click here.