Nobody wants lash mites, but you probably have them. And no, lash extensions do not cause it.

Demodex are tiny mites that live in your eyelash follicles and the glands of your eyelids. They are microscopic, so you can't see them with the naked eye. These mites are nocturnal, coming out at night to eat, mate, lay their eggs and expel their waste products on your eyelids, eyelashes, and in the glands of your eyelids. This, combined with the debris of their bodies once they die, can cause significant inflammatory and mechanical damage. Demodex have a 2-3 week life cycle. It is not necessarily a problem for you to have an occasional Demodex mite in your eyelash follicles; in small numbers Demodex mites are benign and do not cause any harm. Demodex mites become unhealthy and problematic when they are present in large quantities known as an "infestation".

A person with demodex may have any of the following symptoms:

• Dry Eyes

• Flakes, or "Dandruff" in your eyelashes

• Burning, or stinging

• Discomfort, or irritation

• Itchy eyes or eyelids

• Grittiness, or the feeling of having a foreign body in your eye(s)

• Fluctuating, or intermittently blurred vision

• Sensitivity to light (photophobia)

• Redness of eyes or eyelids

• Brittle, easily broken eyelashes

• Loss of eyelashes and/or eyebrows (via destruction of the hair follicles)

• Misdirected eyelashes (trichiasis)

• Tearing

• Infections of your eyes, or eyelids

  
  

In addition, demodex can cause, or exacerbate, conditions such as dry eye, styes, blepharitis, ocular rosacea and rosacea of your face. While eyelash extensions themselves don't directly cause Demodex mites, they can create an environment that makes it easier for these mites to thrive if proper hygiene practices are not followed. In an article on optometrytimes.com, Dr. Jane Coats explained that the large majority of her patients with eyelash extensions have some degree of associated Demodex mite infestation at the base of the lash extension. She says, “The biggest problem patients report with lash extensions is that they are worried to wash, rinse, or clean their expensive lash extensions for fear they will come off and money will be wasted.”

If you’ve ever visited The Lash Bar, you probably noticed that we have an entire station in our main floor area dedicated to washing each of our guests’ lashes before they receive their service. This directly reflects the emphasis that we put on the importance of clean lids and lashes while you are wearing lash extensions. The way that we wash your lashes before a service is exactly how you should wash your lashes at home to prevent Demodex infestation and other eye conditions. You can access a video of our beautiful stylist, Phoebe, washing her lashes by clicking here. For additional lash extensions aftercare information, visit lashbarvaldosta.com/aftercare.

Stop by The Lash Bar to stock up on the essentials to keep your lashes looking and feeling fresh and clean!

Xoxo, Cute lash mite