UNDERSTANDING YOUR LASH GROWTH CYCLE

A question you may be asking when getting eyelash extensions is:

How long do eyelash extensions last?

With proper aftercare and maintenance, eyelash extensions can last for six to eight weeks until they naturally fall out like your lashes normally do. However, we recommend clients come for fills every 2-3 weeks to maintain their lashes. This is because of the Eyelash Growth Cycle.

When a natural lash falls out, there is one waiting to take its place. Depending on your lash growth cycle, you can lose anywhere from 1 to 5 natural lashes per eye each day. If you lose 3 lashes per day, you will lose 21 per week, 42 in 2 weeks and up to 63 lashes in a 3-week period on one eye alone.

Other factors may affect how fast your lashes shed. Seasonal changes, drugs, alopecia, hormones, your aftercare routine, and pulling/touching your lashes can play a part in your shedding cycle. Since there are now extensions attached to your natural lashes, you may notice them shedding more often than you are used to. If you see an extension or two on your pillow when you wake up in the morning, don't panic! Understand that it is a part of the natural growth process, and schedule a touch up to keep those lashes fluffy and full.

THE EYELASH GROWTH CYCLE

The average person has about 150-200 natural lashes per eye on the upper eyelids and 75-100 on the lower eyelids. The average natural lash length is around 8-10 mm long (about 3/8 of an inch or less).

Your natural lashes go through a shedding process on a regular basis. Eyelashes are like every other hair on your body, replacing themselves as they perpetually move through a natural growth cycle.

Each eyelash is made up of a hair shaft (the lash you see), a root beneath the skin, and a bulb where the new hair begins growing. The bulb is connected to the dermal papilla (blood supply) which nourishes the lashes so they can grow. Eyelashes go through three distinct phases in their growth cycle: Anagen (active growth), Catagen (transition), and Telogen (resting or shedding).

THE ANAGEN PHASE

The first stage of the eyelash growth cycle, known as anagen (active growth phase), is when the eyelash is actively growing and receiving nourishment from its follicle. About 35%-40% of the upper lashes and about 15% of the lower lashes are in the anagen phase at any one time. Each lash will grow to a specific length and then stop.

The anagen phase lasts for 4-10 weeks, where lashes will grow at a rate of 0.12 to 0.14 mm per day. The longer an eyelash stays in the growth phase, the longer it will grow.

Lashes that are in the anagen phase are often called "baby lashes". These lashes are often too fragile to lash. These lashes should be left alone during the application of your extensions to leave room for them to grow longer and become stronger.

THE CATAGEN PHASE

The second phase is the catagen (transitional phase), where the eyelash stops growing and the follicle shrinks. During this phase, the hair continues extending, while at the same time begins separating from the follicle. If a lash falls out or is plucked out during this phase, the lash will not grow back immediately because the follicle needs to complete the catagen phase before it can move on to the next phase. This lasts about 2-3 weeks.

THE TELOGEN PHASE

The full separation from the follicle occurs during the third stage, known as telogen (resting or shedding phase). In this phase, lashes sit dormant and rest while a new baby hair begins to grow inside the follicle, and the old lash sheds naturally. This stage lasts for 3 to 4 months before the eyelash falls out and re-enters the active growth phase. Approximately 50% of eyelashes will be in this phase at one time.