Long eyelashes have been a symbol\nof beauty for many cultures. Long eyelashes are believed to form a contrast\nbetween the eye and the eyelid, making your eyes look visibly bigger and thus\nmore attractive. Biologically, eyelashes protect our eyes from dust, debris,\nand other environmental particles. The lash length is influenced by genetics,\nbut other factors can affect it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eyelash growth is a natural\nprocess that takes place in three stages: the anagen (growth) phase, the\ncatagen (transition) phase, and the telogen (resting) phase. During the growth\nphase, the hair follicle produces new hair, lasting up to 30 to 45 days in the\ncase of eyelashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The catagen phase of the lash\nhair follicle cycle, during which the eyelash hair follicle shrinks and the\nhair stops growing. Finally, the resting phase, in which hair follicles remain\ninactive or several months before the old hair falls out and a new cycle\nstarts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Genetics <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to scientists, eyelashes have an optimal length of a third of the eye’s width. This length helps your eyes stay wet and cleaner. This also means if you have big eyes, you may have long lash strands, too. This condition is often referred to as trichomegaly. Eyelash trichomegaly can have several different causes. These causes can include both environmental and inheritance causes (including side effects of certain medications). Sometimes, trichomegaly occurs as part of a congenital disease or syndrome. These conditions are present from the time you are born, either due to genetics or otherwise. Cornelia de Lange syndrome and Oliver Mcfarlane syndrome contribute to the growth of long lashes. If both mother and father have long lashes, you have a high chance of inheriting them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ethnicity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ethnicity does not have an impact\non your lash length. Asian people and those of Spanish and Eastern European\ndescent tend to have straight lash strands, while others commonly have curlier\neyelashes. Not having double eyelid creases causes straight eyelashes. Having a\nmonolid causes those little strands to grow downward and out rather than out\nand upwards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nutritional deficiency<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Severe malnutrition can give rise\nto chronic hair loss. Hypoproteinemia contributes to hair loss by early onset\nof telogen (resting phase of eyelash hair follicle cycle). Zinc deficiencies\nlike acrodermatitis enteropathica can contribute to the loss of eyelash hair.\nOther nutritional deficiencies like iron, biotin, and iron make it possible to\nlose hair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Age, hormones, and Diseases<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aging and menopause are the\nleading factors that cause inadequate or shorter eyelashes due to specific\nhormonal imbalances that directly impact the growth cycle of hair follicles.\nOther conditions may also contribute to the loss of eyelashes. These include\ndrug side effects, various skin diseases, metabolic abnormalities, endocrine\ndisorders, inflammations, psychiatric disorders, traumatic insults, toxins, and\nsystemic disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Styling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several other ways to\nimprove the length and shape of eyelashes. These include extensions, tint, lift, and curling. Before deciding on\nany of these treatments, choose a reliable platform with estheticians specializing\nin lash extensions. This is important because incorrectly applied extension can\ncontribute to premature loss of lashes, while curling your delicate strands can\nbreak them in half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, it is recommended to\nuse a lash growth serum that will not only grow long lashes but also strengthen\nthem and help minimize the damaging effects often noticeable with the prolonged\nuse of extensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long lashes caused by certain\ndrugs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, it is not just genetics that can cause long and luscious eyelashes. Certain drugs can make it possible, too. A drug known as Bimatoprost careprost<\/strong><\/a> , which is used to treat glaucoma, can promote lash growth. Bimatoprost stimulates hair follicles, extending their growth phase and increasing lash length. Careprost Bimatoprost is sold as a prostaglandin lash serum that helps to grow lashes longer, darker, and thicker.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Erlonib, a medication used to\ntreat lung cancer, has also been shown to cause trichomegaly. It also causes\nstimulation of hair follicles, leading to abnormal lash growth. As mentioned\nabove, trichomegaly can have several different causes; some are genetics, and\nsome do not have an association with genetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The bottom line!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While long eyelashes are the\nclear winner in beauty and protecting eyes, short or inadequate eyelashes disappoint\nmany. In addition to being considered less attractive, being too short or\nhaving inadequate lashes can also be a medical issue. After all, short lashes aren’t\nsufficient enough to protect the eye from dust and foreign particles. Short\neyelashes are a common physical characteristic from various causes, including\ngenetics, hereditary factors, cosmetics usage, illnesses, medications, and\naging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n