Kayla Young
So maybe you weren’t born with the long fluttery eyelashes you always wanted. False eyelashes are a great alternative. But as great as they may be, they can cause eye infections, allergic reactions, and in some cases, more serious eye problems.
In this article, we are going to talk about what happens when you get a false lash eye infection. what causes them, how to tell if you’re suffering from an infection or an allergy and some tips to minimize your chances of getting a false lash infection.
Contents
How To Tell the Difference Between an Infection and an Allergic Reaction to your False Eyelashes
First things first.
Regardless of whether or not it’s an infection or an allergic reaction, if you have a negative reaction to wearing false eyelashes, you should remove them immediately and probably refrain from wearing them altogether.
At least wait until you’ve figured out what’s going on before you try wearing them again.
False Eyelash Allergy
Some people may develop an allergic reaction to false eyelash adhesive. Some of the common ingredients in the glue that holds the lashes in place are latex and formaldehyde. A lot of people are highly sensitive to latex.
Formaldehyde is toxic, so it’s no surprise that a lot of people are formaldehyde-sensitive as well. Some people can also be allergic to the fibers used to make false eyelashes.
Allergic reactions cause itching, burning, and a clear watery discharge. It may also cause a rash around the contact area.
False eyelash infection
Infections, on the other hand, are caused by bacteria collecting under the eyelash glue and the false eyelashes themselves.
If you’re in the habit of reusing your false lashes (and you should!), you need to be careful about storage, cleaning, and handling.
If you do a poor job of maintaining your lashes, forget to clean your eyelids after removing your false lashes, or share false eyelashes with a friend, bacteria can collect on the lashes.
That bacteria can enter the eye which can lead to infections, like styes and conjunctivitis, also commonly known as pink eye.
How do you tell if an eyelash is infected?
An eye infection is characterized by all the same symptoms of an allergic reaction; redness, itching, burning, and watery discharge.
But an eye infection will also cause pain, a gritty feeling, sensitivity to light, and is usually also accompanied by a thick discharge.
You may experience swelling, fever, and blurred vision.
How do you treat an infected eye from fake eyelashes?
If any type of discomfort or reaction occurs, remove the false eyelashes immediately.
Seek treatment from a doctor. You cannot treat an infection with DIY homeopathic recipes you found on the Internet.
If you have an infection, you will need antibiotics.
It’s important to be informed about your condition and seek out all of the information that’s out there to better understand it, so you can play an active role in your treatment.
However, the information in this article is not meant as a substitute for seeking professional medical treatment.
Your honorary degree in diagnostic medicine from Google University does not qualify you to self-diagnose, nor treat your condition.
The longer you let the infection go untreated properly the much higher the risk of doing permanent damage to your eyes. The earlier an infection is treated, the less likely you are to experience any complications.
Don’t forget, conjunctivitis is highly contagious, so again the longer you wait to treat it properly, the more chance you have of spreading your infection to others.
Both infections and allergic reactions can have similar symptoms. Contacting your doctor will ensure you get the right treatment.
How to avoid false lash eye infections and allergies
The best solution to avoiding the eye problems associated with fake eyelashes is not to wear them.
But if you insist, here are a few tips that can minimize your chance of a reaction to false eyelashes:
- Limit the amount of glue used
- Avoid lashes with glitter or jewels
- Be extremely gentle when removing the lashes
- Clean the eyelid after removing the lashes
- Clean multi-use lashes after each use
- Keep the lash storage container clean
- Never share your lashes with others
- Use hypo-allergenic lash glue, free of formaldehyde and latex
Best False Lash Hypo-Allergenic Lash Glue
All of the lash glues on our list are hypo-allergenic and free of latex and formaldehyde.
Take Away
Using false eyelashes can lead to a false eye infection or an allergic reaction.
If you experience any discomfort from your false eyelashes, remove them immediately. If your symptoms include any of the following symptoms: pain, grittiness, sensitivity to light, thick discharge, swelling, fever, or blurred vision, contact your doctor immediately.
You were only born with one set of eyes. Don’t risk long-term damage by trying to treat a false lash infection with home remedies.
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