Loan’s eyes became itchy and red after an eyelash extension procedure at a beauty salon. Thinking it was minor irritation, she applied physiological saline solution. The next day, her eyelashes fell out significantly, crusts appeared around the lash roots, and her eyelids were painful. She then sought examination at Tam Anh General Hospital Hanoi.

Dr. Phung Van Thanh, from the High-Tech Eye Center, diagnosed Loan with corneal erosion accompanied by blepharitis. He explained that her frequent eye rubbing had damaged the hair follicles, leading to mass eyelash loss. Corneal erosion is a condition where the cornea is scratched or peeled, causing irritation and a sensation of a foreign object in the eye.

Dr. Thanh explained that conjunctival hyperemia and corneal erosion are potential complications that can arise from beauty procedures lacking sterility, incorrect techniques, poor quality products, or practitioners lacking expertise. During such procedures, substandard adhesives and chemicals, containing irritating ingredients, can cause blepharitis, damage hair follicles, and make eyelashes weak and prone to significant loss, even almost complete loss in a short period.

Dr. Phung Van Thanh examining Loan's eyes after the eyelash extension injury. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

The doctor advised Loan to stop eyelash extensions, avoid eye area cosmetics, clean her eyelid margins, and use antibiotic drops combined with artificial tears to treat the inflammation. After about 3 days, Loan’s itching, burning, and red eye symptoms significantly reduced. The eyelid area was less swollen, and the amount of crusts around the lash roots also decreased. The possibility of eyelash regrowth depends on the extent of damage to the hair follicles. If the hair follicles are not completely destroyed, eyelashes may regrow after several months, but they are usually sparser and shorter than before.

Dr. Thanh advised everyone to be cautious when using eye area beauty services, especially eyelash extensions near Tet. This is a common procedure but carries potential risks of causing blepharitis and other eye conditions. If signs such as significant eyelash loss, prolonged eyelid itching and burning, red eyes, irritation, or watery eyes appear after eyelash extensions, it is essential to seek early examination at an eye specialist facility for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Thu Giang

*Patient’s name has been changed