Why Have My Eyelashes Fallen Out?

It is normal to lose the occasional eyelash, but excessive loss of eyelashes, also known as ciliary madarosis, usually has a specific cause. Madarosis can result from mechanical means, from infections and medical conditions, and as a result of autoimmune disease. If you are losing an excessive number of lashes, see your doctor to rule out dangerous diagnoses.

Mechanical Causes of Madarosis

• Scratching, itching, and wiping at eyes can pull out eyelashes, as can using ineffective eye makeup remover that requires excessive rubbing to remove cosmetics. Wearing mascara that is too heavy or too thickly applied can weigh lashes down and cause them to fall out, as can the use of an eyelash curler. People suffering from the obsessive-compulsive disorder trichotillomania often have an irresistible desire to pull their eyelashes out.

Blepharitis

• One of the main medical causes of eyelash loss is blepharitis, in which the oil glands at the base of the lashes malfunction, causing not only eyelash loss but also itchy, reddened and swollen eyelids, light sensitivity, and watery eyes. Causes include bacterial infection, dermatitis, and rosacea.

Other medical causes

• Other medical causes of madarosis include infestation with the D. folliculorim, or demodex mite, underactive or overactive thyroid function and alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on different parts of the body. An allergic reaction to ingredients in cosmetics also can cause loss of eyelashes.

Treatment

• Treatment for eyelash loss depends on the condition causing it. Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics, mites with mercury oxide, and thyroid disease with various medications. Trichotillomania can be treated with cognitive therapy and sometimes antidepressants and allergic reactions, by discontinuing the use of the cosmetic. Alopeia areata is often treated with steroids. Once the medical causes of eyelash loss are addressed, eyelashes usually grow back.

Prevention/Solution

• Having good hygiene, using eye makeup remover properly, avoiding rubbing your eyes, and using hypoallergenic cosmetics can all help prevent madarosis. To prevent eye infection, you should discard any eye shadow, eyeliner, or mascara that is more than four months old.