Regular Eyelash Extensions Linked to Skin Mites and Eye Irritation, Study Finds

A study of young women who regularly get eyelash extensions has found that most carry tiny mites called Demodex folliculorum on their lashes, which can cause a painful skin reaction known as demodicosis. The research, presented at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) by Dr. Tetiana Zhmud of the National Pirogov Memorial Medical University in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, also found many of the women had eye irritation and problems with their meibomian glands, the tiny glands near the eyelashes that produce oil to keep eyes from drying out.

Zhmud's team surveyed 345 women aged 16 to 28, of whom almost a quarter had ever had eyelash extensions; 58% of those got them every three to four weeks, and 47.6% reported discomfort, redness, tearing or itching afterward. Using a technique called meibography, which uses infrared light to view the glands through the eyelids, the researchers found that 85% of women who had had extensions at least 10 times showed signs of meibomian gland dysfunction, meaning the glands were blocked or not producing oil properly.

Examining eyelash samples from 25 women who regularly used extensions under a microscope, the researchers found Demodex folliculorum mites in all but one of them, and 18 showed signs of irritation typically caused by the mites, including itching, redness, swelling and scaly skin at the base of the lashes. Zhmud said the findings do not suggest people should avoid eyelash extensions altogether but highlighted the importance of eyelid hygiene and prompt assessment when symptoms appear, noting the study was small and did not compare users with women who had never had extensions.

Professor Sorcha Ni Dhubhghaill of UZ Brussel in Belgium, who was not involved in the research, said the mites are common but not usually seen in large numbers in younger women, and are normally spotted through waxy "collarettes" of dead mites, feces and eggs around the base of the lashes. She said the adhesive used in eyelash extensions is applied near that same spot, which could make collarettes harder to notice, and that the presence of Demodex folliculorum does not necessarily mean disease, since the mites can be part of the normal ocular microbiota.