Eye care can be about aesthetics and liking how you look just as much as it’s about treating eye diseases. When discussing eye aesthetics, it doesn’t take long for eyelashes to come up. Many people love how long, full lashes can enhance the natural beauty of their eyes and feel that short and sparse lashes may make their eyes look dull.
Eyelashes typically take 4–10 weeks to grow as long as there’s no damage to the follicle or eyelid. And we have techniques to help your eyelashes grow thicker, longer, and darker.
The Eyelash Life Cycle
There’s a belief that blowing away a lash is good luck. We don’t know about that, but since you usually lose between 1 and 5 eyelashes a day, you have plenty of chances to turn your fortune around! If this is the only time you think about your eyelashes, that’s fine. But they have a whole life cycle you may not be aware of.
Eyelash growth occurs in 3 stages: the anagen phase, the catagen phase, and the telogen phase:
- Anagen phase: In the first stage of eyelash growth, the eyelash follicle actively produces new lashes. The anagen phase lasts approximately 4–10 weeks. During this stage, the lash grows to its full length.
- Catagen phase: In the second stage, the lash stops growing before transitioning to the next phase. During this time, the hair follicle shrinks.
- Telogen phase: In the final stage of eyelash growth, the eyelash rests until it falls out. Once it falls out, the new eyelash begins to grow, and the cycle starts again.
The entire lifespan of an eyelash can be as little as 4 months or up to 11 months. Interestingly, this life cycle is significantly shorter than scalp hair, where the anagen phase lasts between 2 and 6 years.
The time it takes for eyelashes to grow back depends on various factors, such as any medication you’re on, if you have hair follicle damage, and your overall health. Typically, a new lash may take around 6 weeks to grow fully after being pulled. However, it can take longer if you have an underlying condition affecting hair growth, such as alopecia, thyroid issues, or hormonal imbalances.
Can I Make My Lashes Grow Faster?
While it’s unlikely you can make your lashes grow overnight, there are ways to promote stronger, healthier lash growth over time.
Eat a Balanced Diet
Your diet plays a significant role in the health of your hair, including your eyelashes. A balanced diet with plenty of protein, vitamins, and minerals can promote healthy hair growth.
Protein and biotin (a vitamin in the vitamin B family), in particular, are essential for strong, healthy lashes, as they can provide the building blocks for hair growth. One of the best foods for this is eggs, which are high in protein and biotin. However, adding more nutrients may not speed up hair growth if you already have enough in your diet.
Other foods good for hair growth include:
- Berries
- Spinach
- Fatty fish
- Sweet potatoes
- Avocados
- Nuts and seeds
- Sweet peppers
- Oysters
- Beans
- Soybeans
- Meat
Dietary Supplements
Eating a balanced diet can help you round out your nutrition, but sometimes you’re deficient in a single vitamin and need a boost. In this case, vitamin supplements can help.
Biotin (a vitamin in the vitamin B family) is often recommended for promoting hair growth. While it has many health benefits, the evidence supporting hair growth is limited. However, studies have linked biotin deficiency to hair loss.
So, while taking biotin supplements may not help if you’re not deficient, your doctor may recommend it to avoid hair loss.
Castor Oil
If you’ve spent any time online looking for eyelash tips, you’ve likely run into the idea that using castor oil can help eyelash growth. One study has shown that the ricinoleic acid in castor oil may promote hair growth by stopping the protein that prevents scalp hair from growing back.
More research is needed to determine how effective castor oil is at supporting eyelash hair growth.
Love Lash Skin Care
At Bluebird Vision + Wellness we offer our medical-grade skin care product, Lash Love. For people desiring fuller, stronger, and longer lashes, the Lash Love serum can help stimulate growth and fullness during the lash’s natural growth cycle. Keep lashes nourished with this powerful peptide and nutrient system!
Latisse for Long Lashes
Latisse is an FDA-approved topical application that helps lashes grow longer, darker, and fuller. This product could be a game-changer for those with sparse and weak lashes.
The active ingredient in Latisse is bimatoprost, which doctors initially used to treat glaucoma. However, during clinical trials, researchers observed it also promoted lash growth as a side effect. Imagine how surprised patients were to wake up with fuller, darker lashes while treating their glaucoma!
Experts believe Latisse works by extending the anagen phase of the lash cycle while simultaneously increasing the number of lashes you can grow.
Benefits of Latisse
One of the most significant benefits of Latisse is lash growth, which results in thicker, longer, and darker lashes. With Latisse’s more natural solution, you can avoid spending money on lash extensions and false lashes.
Eye Aesthetics with Experience
If you’re looking for a way to up your lash game, Latisse could be an excellent option. It’s easy to use and yields remarkable results within a few weeks.
Our experienced team at Bluebird Vision + Wellness is thrilled to discuss Latisse and Lash Love with you. We can take you through the pros and cons so you can be confident in your choice.Beautiful and healthy lashes are within your grasp; schedule your appointment today, and let’s find the eye aesthetic solution for you!
