How Long Does It Take For Eyelashes To Grow Back?

It’s no secret I love wearing mascara. I feel it makes a big difference when I wear it, especially on days when I look tired. In other words, I feel more beautiful when I wear mascara.

Apparently I’m not the only one. Fuller eyelashes are frequently seen as a universal symbol of beauty and play a vital role in how we feel about ourselves.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

So, it’s no surprise that we devote much time, money, and effort to make sure our lash game is on point. However, I haven’t always paid a lot of attention to my lashes until they broke off.

In the past I didn’t always take off my mascara before going to bed. The result: my lashes broke off wile I was sleeping.

As such, I wondered: “how long does it take for my eyelashes to grow back?” After doing some online research I started paying better attention to my eyelids in the hopes of stimulating lash growth.

Let’s have a look what this means and what you need to do to prevent your lashes from falling out. In this blog article, I will explore:

all the reasons why you may be losing your lashes,
simple solutions to prevent this
and how long it takes for them to grow back.

How Long Does It Take For Eyelashes To Grow Back?

There are numerous reasons as to why you may be experiencing a loss of eyelashes, such as medical conditions. However, in most cases, there’s a high chance there aren’t any underlying health conditions.

According to research eyelashes are bound to shed naturally, similar to the hair on our heads. After they shed, new hair will eventually grow in their place.

They grow up in three different growth phase cycles, just like your hair. In total this whole regrowth process takes up four to eleven months.

In summary, the different growth phases are:

1. New hair growth phase (anagen phase)

The anagen phase is when new hair grows up from your eyelid follicles. This stage can last for about 30 to 75 days on average. Around 35% to 40% of our upper lashes and 15% of our lower lashes tend to be going through this phase at any given moment.

Every lash grows up to a certain length before stopping, on average 0.47 inches (12 mm). If you lose a lash during this period, it will not regrow immediately.

2. Transitioning phase (catagen Phase)

During the catagen phase of the hair growth cycle, your lashes are in the process of transitioning. They’re cut off from the blood supply and cells that produce new hair during this phase.

They are extremely vulnerable at this phase which will take up two to three weeks. So it’s best to be gentle when cleaning your eye area. If you accidentally pull out your lashes with it’s follicle, your eyelash regrowth cycle will slow down.

3. Resting phase (telogen Phase)

Once the hairs in your eye area complete the catagen phase, they immediately move onto the telogen phase. The telogen phase is also known as the resting phase of your hair growth cycle and lasts the longest.

This phase may last for anytime between four to nine months and your lashes will shed naturally so a one can grow up in its place.

Things you do unintentionally to slow down lash regrowth

None of us are strangers to our eyelashes falling out. It’s something we’ve all experienced more or less. An average adult person has roughly 120 upper and 70 lower lashes on each eye lid.

Did you know 1 to 5 eyelashes fall out every day due to natural reasons? They naturally shed and grow all the time without you probably even noticing.

However, there are a few things that can slow down the growth process or cause your eyelashes to fall out more frequently. Let’s look at all the common reasons:

1. Lash extensions

Everyone and their mother wants longer eyelashes. So many turn to lash extensions to become honorary member of the lengthy lash gang.

Unfortunately, using eyelash extensions for an extended period can also cause irreversible damage to your eyelash follicle. This may cause your natural lashes to fall out faster than they normally would and slow down the regrowth process.

When you decide to get extensions, they will be attached to your natural lash line with glue. So they have the potential to damage or rip out the natural eyelashes underneath.

Also, extensions can make your eyelashes brittle and dry. Plus, formaldehyde, a common component in the glue used to hold the lash extensions in place, can also cause allergic reactions.

2. Faulty beauty routine

Sometimes, the most common reason for lashes to shed more often can be the result of being allergic to the cosmetics you use.

More often than not your mascara or eyeliner may be the culprit. To find out if this is truly the case, you can skip using mascara for some days or switch up the brand.

Another reason may be due to a faulty beauty routine:

Going to bed with your eye makeup still on your face can lead to your eyelashes falling out and trigger a bacterial infection. Especially if you go to sleep with mascara. This may cause your lashes to break off or fall out during your sleep.

If you use mascara or eyeliner make sure you renew it every 3 to 6 months. This prevents the growth of bacteria in your product and causing an infection, which may have a negative impact on your eyelash growth cycle.

Using an eyelash curler can irritate and damage your eyelash follicle if you use it for too long or too frequently. It’s ideal to curl lashes for no longer than 10 to 20 seconds and don’t use it on a daily basis.

Rubbing your eye too roughly when removing eye makeup can also result in eyelash fallout, especially when you’re removing waterproof mascara. It’s ideal to use a mild and reliable oil cleanser or eye makeup remover to clean the delicate skin in your eye area.

Other reasons your lashes fall out

Even if your beauty routine is immaculate, your eyelash loss might be caused by medical conditions beyond your control:

Stress,
a possible iron deficiency,
dry eyelids in winter
or hormonal abnormalities.

Medical Conditions

Consult your doctor immediately if you feel like there’s an underlying hormonal or medical problem, as some conditions require more extensive treatment.

Common medical conditions include either an underactive or overactive thyroid gland, as well as hormonal abnormalities.

In addition, lashes can fall out due to chemotherapy treatment or alopecia areata, an immunological condition that destroys hair follicles. This disorder can affect your eyelashes, scalp, eyebrows, and any other hair-growing areas.

Popular Methods against premature eyelash fallout

It can be quite stressful to lose your eyelashes, but growing them back is not complex, if there are no underlying conditions. All you need to do is alter your beauty routine and have some patience.

Genetics, age, and hormonal balance all influence how quickly your eyelashes grow back. On overal you should see result in two to four month when you utilize oils, serums, and vitamins to accelerate growth.

Let’s have look at some popular methods to quickly grow back your eyelashes:

1. Use of oils

There are different types of oils and they all have their own specific characteristics. For now I’ll focus on the most popular oils, since there isn’t any extensive research available on other oils and how they influence hair growth.

Pro tips: use oil as an overnight treatment. Use a clean eyelash make-up brush to apply the oil like you’re putting on mascara. Remove excess oil with a cotton bud to prevent it from getting into your eyes.

Also, for best results use the purest oil: organic and unrefined (cold pressed virgin oil).
Don’t use any oil during daytime and definitely not together with mascara if you want to avoid looking like a panda bear.

Coconut oil

Not only can virgin coconut oil be used as a super ingredient in your hair care routine, you can also use it as a strengthening and moisturizer for your lashes.

It’s safe to use in your eye area, so the benefits of using this oil will also positively influence the skin around your eyes.

As explained in my blog on how to use coconut for curly hair, this oil is great to strengthen you hair with, even your eyelashes.

When your eyelashes are stronger they will be less prone to fall out when you wash your face, for example. As a result, you might end up with fuller eyelashes.

Olive oil

Word is that olive oil can contribute greatly in helping grow your lashes longer and stronger. Pure unrefined olive oil is full of fatty acids that serve as emollients, softening and moisturizing your eyelashes.

Oleuropein is a phenolic chemical that is found in olive oil and was proven to stimulate the growth of new hairs in rats according to studies. So it can also aid in the growth of your eyelashes.

Castor oil

Castor oil is considered as one of the most powerful natural hair growth remedies. You can use it on your lashes and brows as well.

Although there’s not a lot of research on castor oil and hair growth, people claim it helped them grow healthier and thicker eyelashes. This is probably the result of the 90% fatty acids in castor oil, which nourish and strengthen hair follicles.

However, while it may be an amazing overnight treatment, it is sticky and greasy. So be careful and use very little oil.

2. Serums

You’ve probably heard much about different eyelash serums that can greatly boost your eyelash length. While it may be hard to navigate through the countless eyelash enhancing serums available in the market, it is an effective way regardless.

The best eyelash growth serum should contain an active ingredient or more to penetrate a hair’s follicle to extend its growth phase. A nutrient-rich serum can effectively provide nourishment for your eyelash hair follicles and boost their health.

Possible side effects: serums can cause irritation and may even darken your iris color in the process.

3. Petroleum jelly

Petroleum jelly such as Vaseline, has been a staple in many households for years. It’s affordable and rarely irritates the skin.

I have a lot of jars with petroleum jelly at home because it locks in moisture. This is very useful when you suffer from dry skin, eyelids or lashes.

When you lock in moisture on a daily basis your lashes will grow stronger and they’ll appear to be fuller.

How to use Vaseline or petroleum jelly for your eyelashes – after having cleaned your face and before you go to bed:

scoop very little amount of petroleum jelly on a cotton bud.
Apply the jelly on your lash line.
Secondly, use a new cotton bud to distribute a very thin layer of petroleum jelly at your entire lash.

Keep in mind Vaseline can be quite greasy and thick. This may cause your lashes to clump together if you use too much. So a little goes a long way.

Also if you use (too much) petroleum jelly it can get into your eye and this may feel uncomfortable. You may need eye drops to get it off your eyes.

4. Extra vitamins

Support hair growth by taking in specific hair growth vitamins with collagen and biotin, especially when your diet isn’t as healthy as it should be.

To see any possible results you should at least take them in for more than 3 months. Also, you should also keep in mind that there hasn’t been any research showing these hair vitamins actually work.

However, there are people including myself who have experienced hair growth after a few months. It goes without saying you need to combine this with a consistent healthy hair care routine.

5. Healthy diet

When it comes to hair growth, nothing beats the power of a healthy diet rich in:

biotin
iron,
niacin,
protein
and minerals.

As hair loss is closely linked with iron deficiency, consider eating foods such as spinach, dark leafy veggies, beans and cruciferous vegetables (e.g. cabbage, broccoli and collard greens).

You should consider including bananas, avocados and eggs in your diet as well, because they’re rich in biotin. Avocados and eggs also contain a good portion of protein.

Some other foods that may help grow your lashes include: sweet potatoes, fatty fish, nuts, onions, kale, whole grain, and others.

Takeaway

Although eyelashes play an important part in our beauty routines, they have another important role since they protect our eyes as well.

Even though it’s normal to lose some lashes as part of your natural lash growth cycle, you should be aware of too much fall out.

If so you should consult a doctor and focus on tweaking your diet and beauty routine, as well as trying to prevent stress. Hopefully this blog article will help you in doing so.

Others also read

Sources: Science Direct | Healthline | WebMd | Mind Body Green