How to Grow Back Your Eyelashes After They Fall Out

Co-authored by Alicia Ramos

Last Updated: January 17, 2023 References Approved

Eyelash loss can happen for a number of reasons, some perfectly normal and some a sign of serious health problems. It is normal for one or two lashes to fall out per day, because your hair is constantly renewing, but they should also grow back over time. This is considered your normal lash cycle. If not, you may want to consult with a doctor about why you're losing eyelashes at an abnormal rate. However in the meantime there are a few things you can do to help ensure that your eyelashes grow back properly, such as changing your makeup routine and keeping your face clean and free of eyelash mites or an overgrowth of skin bacteria which are often the cause of some lashes being lost.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Maintaining Eyelash Growth

1
Expect normal growth. There is very little you can actually do to make your eyelashes grow faster. Your best bet will be to simply keep the eyelashes from falling back out again, which means your focus should be on prevention and maintenance. Expect that it will take awhile for your lashes to grow back in and that in the mean time, you will need to work to maintain that growth.
2
Avoid wearing makeup.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.} If you know the cause of your eyelash loss was from something like chemo or hormone problems, don't worry about this. However, if your loss was unexplained, you will want to avoid wearing makeup around your eyes. There are two reasons for this. The first is that makeup does expire after awhile and the bacteria it grows can cause your eyelash loss. Another reason is that some people are allergic to the ingredients in makeup and this make have aggravated your skin enough to cause the hair loss.
- Wash it off every night if you do wear makeup. This will keep it from irritating your skin and lashes any more than necessary.
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3
Wash your face regularly.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.} Eyelash loss is often caused by an overgrowth of bacteria around the eyelids and face. Wash your face every day with gentle soaps designed for the face in order to keep bacteria under control.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Karina Villalta
Certified Esthetician
Expert Interview. 19 August 2020.}
- You also don't want your skin to dry out, since the micro cracks that can form can cause even more infections.
4
Eat a healthy diet. If you are eating a particularly limited diet, this can have an effect on hair growth and health. Not getting enough vitamin D^{[4]
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Research source}, vitamin A^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}, and complete protein^{[6]
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Research source} can cause or worsen hair loss. Eat a well balanced diet with a wide range of foods in order to make sure that your body has what it needs to make healthy hair.
- Foods rich in these nutrients include fortified cereals, milk, carrots, kale, fish, and nuts.
5
Let your natural shape come in. Overusing or incorrectly using an eyelash curler can accidentally pull out your eyelashes, especially if the hair is already weak. Don't use your eyelash curler for awhile and see if this helps keep your eyelashes in place.
6
Keep your hands away from your face. There is a sea of bacteria on your hands and when you touch your face (to scratch, pick, wipe, etc), you're introducing this bacteria to your skin. Your eyes are very sensitive to bacteria and can easily become infected. By keeping your hands away, you'll help ensure that your eyes (and thus your eyelashes) can stay healthy.
- If you find that you have trouble breaking this habit, try keeping a piece of tape towards the end of your main fingers. This will make you more aware of when you're doing it and help you to break the habit.
- Find other ways to keep your hands occupied, such as playing with a rubber band on your wrist.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Covering the Eyelash Loss

1
Make sure makeup isn't causing your problem. Before using makeup and other products to cover your lash loss, make sure that these products are not causing your lash loss to begin with. Talk to your doctor or experiment by not using any makeup for several weeks and then slowly introducing one type of makeup at a time, with about a week's worth of use for each product before moving on to another.
2
Use eyeliner. Liquid eyeliner, applied thickly and right at the lash line, can make it look like you have lashes when you do not or when you only have very little. Try to use a color that compliments your natural coloring. For example, black will look best with dark coloring, where brown will look best if you have light-colored hair.
3
Use mascara. If you have some lashes, you can use mascara to make the lashes you have look thicker and longer. Try to use a conditioning mascara to keep your lashes as healthy as possible.
- You can even add extra volume by applying baby powder between coats of mascara.
4
Apply false lashes.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.} If you don't have lashes you can add to, try using false eyelashes. These are cheap and readily available at drug and beauty stores. All you need to do is apply the lash glue (which may be included) and then place the eyelashes with a pair of tweezers.
- You can even use false eyelashes if you have some eyelashes already. This is particularly useful if you lost eyelashes in just one small spot. Cut just a piece of the false eyelash and glue it where needed.
5
Draw attention to the other parts of your face. Use makeup and makeup techniques that draw attention to other parts of your face. This will draw attention away from your eyes and toward your other features. For example, you can wear really bright lipstick to draw attention to your mouth instead. Another option is to use blunt bangs right at the level of your eyes. The bushy hair around your eyes will make it appear that you have more lash than you do.
- You can use props too. Try wear bright, thick framed glasses to distract from your eyes on the other side of the frame, or a bold necklace to draw attention down to your chest.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Treating the Underlying Causes

1
Keep your face clean. One of the common causes of eyelash problems is an infection called blepharitis. This is an overgrowth of bacteria on the face and can have many causes, from poor hygiene to parasites. The best thing that you can do to prevent this problem is to wash your face regularly.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.}
- If your face is exposed to bacteria, such as if an animal licks your face or you wipe your face while preparing food, wash your face immediately.
2
Do not pull your eyelashes. There is a relatively common disorder, similar to OCD, in which people feel compelled to pull their own hair. For most sufferers that means pulling the hair on their head, but some also pull their eyelashes or eyebrows. This disorder is called "trichotillomania". If you think you might have this, talk to a therapist. There are medications and behavioral tricks which can help you stop and feel more relaxed.
- Even if you don't think you have this disorder, it's best not to pull your own hairs out for any reason. If you find you can't stop, reconsider if you have trich.
3
Get tested for thyroid and hormone problems. Sometimes loss of eyelashes can be the result of physical problems far below the skin's surface. You might be affected by thyroid or hormone problems that limit or inhibit hair growth. Usually, you will see hair loss in other areas of your body as well, but it isn't guaranteed.
- If you are young, you might have a serious health condition that is causing problems with your hormones. However, if you are older, above your 40s or 50s, this is probably normal. Even for normal hair loss, however, there are medications you can take so talk to your doctor.
4
Look for hair loss elsewhere. If you have hair loss only on your lashes, you probably have an infection. However, if you notice patches of hair loss elsewhere on your body (especially at the sides of your head), you may have a condition called alopecia. This is a relatively common disorder and causes hair loss all over the body. Talk to your doctor about treatments that might be right for you.
5
Talk to your doctor. If this problem is ongoing or reoccurring, you should absolutely talk to your doctor. Some eyelash loss is normal but excessive loss of lashes is usually a sign of other health problems. Some health problems can be very serious, such as problems with your thyroid. Because of this, it's best to talk to a doctor if the problem returns or goes on for a long time.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I encourage my eyelashes to grow?

Karina Villalta
Certified Esthetician
Karina Villalta is a certified Esthetician and Owner of Oh Sweet and Sugar and Shears, a skincare and hair removal service located in Seattle and Kirkland, Washington. With over eight years of experience, Karina specializes in eyebrow shaping, a hair removal technique called sugaring, and organic facials. Karina started her career and was trained at Benefit Cosmetics Brow Bar. Since opening her own business, Karina ensures her clients are educated about their skin and helps them implement personalized skincare routines.

Karina Villalta

Certified Esthetician

Expert Answer

Make sure you wash your face and eyes every day to remove makeup and kill bacteria.
Question

How can I reduce eyelash loss?

Community Answer

The use of castor oil can prevent eyelash loss. Castor oil can also help promote hair growth — including eyelashes — if rubbed into the scalp.
Question

How long will it take for my lashes to grow back?

Community Answer

It should take about 4 weeks for ALMOST full length. If you think it takes too long, you can buy an eyelash conditioning gel. The gel will help your eyelashes appear longer.

Warnings

The homemade remedies described above help to stimulate the growth of naturally longer eyelashes. To obtain significant results, it is necessary that you follow these remedies closely. Although these are safe ways to get beautiful lashes, do not be tempted to view instant results.

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