Lash lift is one of the lash enhancements methods adored by people who prefer a natural look of their eyelashes. With this treatment, your lashes look curled, lifted, longer and thicker as soon as you wake up and you won’t even need to add mascara. Perfect for people who have straight lashes, as well as those who just want to add an enhancement.
But since this treatment is done with chemicals, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: are lash lifts safe?
So, let’s see what the potential risks are.
Are Lash Lifts Safe in General?
Yes, a lash lift is a safe treatment if you choose a professional, licensed, and experienced lash technician who knows their job well. This means that they should know whether you are a good candidate for lash lifts, what all the possible risks are, as well as someone who works in a sterile environment and with quality material.
Image source: Instagram @philash_eoxi
What Can Be Problematic About Lash Lifts?
During the lash lift treatment, protective silicone pads are placed on the eyelids. Your lashes are glued to the pad and the perming solution is applied to keep them lifted. After 10-ish minutes, it’s removed and the neutralizing solution is added.
The ingredients and chemicals used during this treatment are not regulated by FDA. Another problem is the lack of regulations for performing this treatment. In some US states, if you are already an esthetician, you can complete an online course, without hands-on experience and guidelines.
Who Should Not Get a Lash Lift?
As said above, lash lifts are generally safe, but some people should avoid them:
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women – lash lift is not really safe in the first semester of the pregnancy. It’s said that it’s safe after that, but you should get a green light from your doctor. Learn more about that here.
- People with certain conditions such as blepharitis, eczema, psoriasis, and conjunctivitis.
- People who have a history of eye allergies, eye infections, styes, sensitive eyes, watery eyes, or chronic dry eye are not good candidates for lash lift, but some of them can still get it with a doctor’s approval.
Image source: Freepik
What Can Go Wrong During the Lash Lift Treatment?
The ingredients and chemicals are the most problematic part. As said above, two types of solutions are used – a perming solution and a neutralizing solution. The ingredients in the perming solutions are pretty similar to those used for hair perm, so it would be problematic if it got into your eye.
Also, the skin on the eyelids is very thin and sensitive, prone to irritation, burning, and even blisters, which can occur if it comes into a contact with the solutions.
Adding tint can cause allergic reactions, so it’s advisable to do a patch test before the treatment in order to be sure.
Is It Safe to Do a Lash Lift at Home?
You can do a lash lift at home, but it’s not really advisable.
There are lash lift kits to order on Amazon, but some of them don’t even have the ingredients list, so you won’t know if there are ingredients that can be problematic for you.
Also, this kind of treatment should be done by an experienced, trained professional who will know how to perform it properly without putting the health of your eyes at risk.
Do Lash Lifts Damage Your Lashes?
Lash lifts don’t damage natural lashes if they are done properly. So it’s extremely important to follow the guidelines written on the package of the solutions, that say how long they should be left on. Some need 10 minutes, while others much less.
If the package says that the solution should be left on for only 6 minutes, leaving it for 10 minutes or longer is extremely problematic. It can damage the natural lashes and cause them to fall off.
So, the lash technician needs to follow the guides to a T, in order to avoid these things to happen.
Can Lash Lift Damage Your Eyes?
With a lash lift, you need to watch out for the eyelids as well as the eyes themselves.
The skin of the eyelids is extremely thin and sensitive. Since lash perming solutions are similar to hair perming ones, and their ingredients aren’t FDA-regulated, they shouldn’t come into contact with the delicate eyelid skin.
It could cause significant discomfort in the form of:
- Burning sensation
- Irritation
- Blistering
- Swelling
The surface of the eyeball is even more sensitive than the eyelid. If you’re wondering can eyelash perming damage your eyes, the answer is a resounding yes.
If lash lift solutions get into the eyes, they can cause:
- Severe irritation
- Redness
- Burning
- Dry eyes
- Excessive eye watering
- Blurry vision
- Inflammation
This is why it’s not recommended to do a lash lift at home. Rather than risk it with a DIY kit, find a reliable, experienced, licensed lash technician.
How Often Can I Get Lash Lifts?
Lash lifts last for up to 8 weeks, which is the time needed for all the natural lashes to fall off and be replaced by new ones. Your lashes will lose shape probably much earlier, so you may feel tempted to repeat the process after a month.
But you really should wait for the lashes to recover, so at least 6 weeks between two lash lift treatments. Also, getting one lash lift after another constantly is not advisable – give your lashes some time to recover and become clean of chemicals.
Image source: Instagram @irinka_solnce
How To Find the Right Lash Lift Technician?
If you’ve decided to get this treatment, choosing the right lash lift technician is the most important part.
Make sure the lash tech is properly trained, certifies, and licensed. It would be best to find an esthetician or a dermatologist who does a lash lift.
You need to make sure the lash technician works in a clean environment, uses quality products and has a rich portfolio. The best thing to do before you book treatment is to visit their salon for a consultation. Feel free to ask all you want to know. Don’t hesitate to get informed about the products they use and you can later check the ingredients online.
Also, check the lash tech’s portfolio (they should have a lot of their clients’ photos on Instagram). Make sure the technician answers all of your questions. Also, a good technician will ask you about your medical conditions to check are lash lifts safe for you.
So, the answer to the question are lash lifts safe is yes, if done properly. So make sure you do your homework and find the right lash technician.
If you want to learn more about lash lift risks and side effects, check out this guide.
Cover image source: Freepik
