A study of women aged 16–28 showed that 85 percent of those who had had eyelash extensions at least 10 times had problems with the meibomian glands, glands on the eyelids that help keep the eyes moist.
When eyelash samples from 25 of the women were examined, all but one had skin mites. Eighteen had signs of irritation often caused by mites, such as itching and flaky skin at the base of the lashes.
Simple hygiene measures, such as cleaning eyelashes and treating mite infestations when necessary, could make eyelash extensions significantly safer, the researchers behind the study believe. The study was recently presented at a conference organised by ESCRS.
