How long does it take for eyelashes to grow back?

Every now and then our eyelashes fall out and we hardly notice. For those who do, it can be quite disturbing for them.

You might want to know if they will ever grow back, especially when you have quite a number of your eyelashes falling out at a time. You might also have cut some of your eyelashes and wondered the same.

How long will it take for your eyelashes to grow back and why do they fall out in the first place? Read on to find out about all these.

How long does it take for eyelashes to grow?

Eyelashes have a lifespan of at least 4 to 11 months. This means that anywhere between 4 months up to 11 months, the eyelashes will be replaced with new ones. There are 3 phases of this life span namely;

• the growth phase 
• the degradation phase 
• the resting phase

Growth phase

Also known as the anagen phase, this phase occurs between 4 to 10 weeks. An eyelash can grow between 0.12 and 0.14 millimeters per day

Degradation phase

This phase happens when your eyelashes stop growing. Shrinking of the hair follicles begins to occur. Your lashes stop growing for about two to three weeks.

This stage is also known as the catagen phase. 

Resting 

This is the last stage of the lifespan of an eyelash. In this stage, the eyelash falls out and a new one grows in its place. It can last about 4 to 9 months. This stage is also known as the telogen phase.

How long does it take for eyelashes to grow back?

6 weeks is the general time it takes for the eyelash to grow back in case it is cut, burned and if there is no damage to the follicle or eyelid. 

If you pull out your eyelash it can take longer for it to grow back. This is because pulling an eyelash out of your eyelid can slow down the replacement process. 

Unless you happen to have perfect timing and manage to pull an eyelash out near the end of the telogen phase, you’ll be interrupting the normal life cycle of that eyelash.

What causes eyelashes to fall out? 

Losing an eyelash from time to time is pretty normal. If you are however losing a lot of eyelashes, there could be underlying conditions that need to be addressed before they can be restored. 

Here are some of the causes of eyelashes falling out;

Lash extensions

Lash extensions are fibers that are attached to the natural eyelashes using glue to create a thicker, longer eyelash. They can however damage your natural eyelashes. Eyelashes falling out as a result of lash extensions typically grow back within a few months.

Thyroid condition

A thyroid gland is a gland that produces hormones known as thyroid hormones. If the gland produces too much or too little thyroid hormone, it can cause a variety of symptoms, including hair loss. Loss of eyelashes can occur with both hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). The lashes usually start to grow back after the thyroid imbalance has been treated.

Burns 

If the eyelashes get burned but the hair follicles are intact, the eyelashes will eventually grow back within 6 weeks according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. However, if the hair follicles were also damaged, the eyelashes might not grow back.

Chemotherapy 

This is a medication used to treat cancer. It can sometimes cause the eyelashes to fall out. Drugs used for chemotherapy can cause hair loss. 

However, not all drugs for this cancer treatment can cause hair loss. If you are using a chemotherapy drug that is known to cause hair loss, it can affect the hair on your body as well as the scalp. Body hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes are commonly affected. 

Usually, eyelashes start to grow back shortly after stopping the chemotherapy.

Pulling out the eyelashes

An impulse pulling out of hair called trichotillomania is a psychological condition that affects some people. This impulse can affect hair anywhere on the body, including the eyelashes. Lashes that have been pulled out may take a few months to grow back.

Alopecia areata

This is an autoimmune condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack the hair follicles. This condition leads to hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes. There is no cure for this condition as of now but there are treatments available that can help reduce the symptoms 

Genetics

Genetics is also another cause of eyelashes falling out. If the older people in your family have thinning eyebrows and eyelashes, you are very likely to experience the same thing.

Lupus 

This is an autoimmune disease that tends to cause inflammation in your skin and can sometimes make your hair, including your eyelashes and eyebrows, get thinner and fall out.

Medications 

Some medications, including certain anticonvulsants, anticoagulants, botulinum toxin injections can cause your eyelashes to fall out. 

Cosmetics 

Some types of makeup or beauty routines can cause eyelashes to fall out. Curlers, eyelash extensions, magnetic eyelashes, and mascara that are not replaced frequently enough can cause all your eyelashes to fall off.

Skin infections

Infections that are bacterial, viral, and parasitic like mites or lice can cause eyelashes to fall out.

Are there any treatments for loss of eyelashes?

There are many ways that you use to treat the loss of eyelashes. Some of which include 

• Keeping your eyes clean
• Remove your mascara
• Apply oil to your lashes 
• Eating a healthy diet
• Reduce the amount of stress that you have. You can do this by undertaking fun activities.

Can I make my eyelashes grow faster?

It is possible to speed up the regrowth process of your eyelashes. Here are some ways that you can try to speed up the regrowth process.

Eating a healthy diet

Consider adding eggs to your diet, since they are high in both protein and biotin, which are thought to help with hair growth.

You can also consider boosting your iron intake by eating iron-rich foods like spinach. Foods like nuts, sweet potatoes, and fatty fish can promote hair growth. Consuming them can speed up the regrowth process.

Applying castor oil

Some oils like castor oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil can provide conditioning to lash hair that improves the flexibility of the hair fiber 

Vitamin supplements 

Taking vitamins like vitamin H (biotin), vitamin B can help your eyelashes grow faster.

How to prevent eyelashes from falling out prematurely?

• Try not to rub your eyes
• Remove eye makeup before you go to sleep
• Clean your makeup tools regularly

The key takeaway from this article

Eyelashes falling out is a natural thing and will eventually grow back. It can also be caused by certain health conditions and lifestyle choices.

How long your eyelashes will take to grow back will depend on the cause of your eyelash loss but it usually takes about 6 weeks for eyelashes to grow back.