Dangers of fixing eyelashes

A medical practitioner, Dr Ayopo Adeyemi, on Sunday warned women against the use of artificial eyelashes, commonly used to enhance beauty, in view of its grievous consequences.

Adeyemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the health implications of fixing false eyelashes included corneal abrasions or ulcers, damage of the natural eyelashes, eye sensitivity, amongst others.

She said fixing of artificial eyelashes had become an increasingly popular trend in the fashion world as most ladies, regardless of the health implications, seek perfection and glamour.

According to her, natural eyelashes had its natural way of preventing dirt, sweat, bacteria and other foreign materials from entering into the eye by trapping and keeping out anything that comes near.

Adeyemi, a practitioner at Mushin General Hospital, Lagos, said false eyelashes would accommodate the dirt, thereby causing different forms of allergy and infections.

“The use of harmful chemicals on the eyelashes can cause them to fall out quicker than they naturally would and it is also dangerous when tools to be used come in close proximity to the eye.

“Artificial eyelashes can cause trauma to the eye either through the glue and other materials used or unprofessional operators; there could be introduction of microbes into the eye causing conjunctivitis of all types.

“The lashes themselves can cause allergic conjunctivitis trapping and retaining dirt around the eye,” she said.

Adeyemi advised ladies to minimise the rate at which they fix false eyelashes if they must retain healthy natural ones.