One or two, yes, but no more than that! It’s natural and normal for us to lose between 3 and 5 single lashes a day, as our natural ones regenerate and make way for new eyelash growth. Likewise, if you were to rub your eyes, you might cause some of them to fall out because of the friction.
Some days you might notice one or two fluttering away, whereas others you might not even notice at all – it depends on what you’re doing and if you’re paying attention.
However, if you’re losing the majority of your eyelash extensions in a week or less then there is definitely something wrong, whether that’s with your aftercare technique, the quality of the lashes or glue used or the skills of the lash tech you went to.
Do eyelashes fall out after extensions?
Well, yes. Our eyelashes naturally shed and fall out on a regular basis, and because the extensions are attached to them, it is normal for both sets to fall out. This isn’t a direct result of your extensions, just your lashes doing their job and trading old ones out for the new!
On average, we’ve got approximately 90-150 eyelashes on our upper lids and between 70 and 80 on the lower, with a particularly short period of active growth. Essentially, every 30-45 days, our lashes will be a completely new set – we just don’t really notice because it happens slowly, over time.
A fresh set of lash extensions, also known as semi-permanent eyelashes, should last approximately two or three weeks depending on where you had them done and other factors.
Anything less than that (and it will be a pretty obvious difference between natural fallout and heavy shedding) means you’ve either failed to follow the aftercare guidelines or your lash tech did a second-rate job.
Why do my eyelash extensions fall out so fast?
That depends! Everyone’s eyes, lashes and situations are different, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is causing you to have problems.
However, there are several different reasons why you could be losing lashes at an alarming rate, so consider all of the following and see if any apply:
You didn’t follow the lash aftercare guidelines correctly: either from picking and rubbing at your lashes, failing to maintain them in the proper way of getting them wet too soon, you may have loosened the glue on your lashes, causing them to fall out prematurely.
If your technician did not offer you this information, we wouldn’t recommend going back for a replacement set, as they clearly have no idea what they are doing!
The glue or lashes used were of a poor quality: as with anything in life, if you don’t buy a high quality product, you’re not going to get high quality, long lasting results.
It’s worth asking your lash technician what they use before your appointment, so you can make sure that your money is going towards something of quality. This does involve doing some research into lashes and glue first, or asking somebody more experienced what they would (or more importantly, would not) recommend.
Not enough lashes or glue were applied: again, if you’re having irregular loss and can’t seem to pinpoint a cause, it’s possible your lash technician didn’t do a proper job, either because they didn’t use enough lashes or just failed to properly adhere them.
It’s difficult to know if this is the case unless you’ve had false lashes done before and have experience to compare it to, so you might want to give the tech the benefit of the doubt and return for an infill appointment to see if that helps. If not – you know not to go back to that salon in particular!
You have oily skin: unfortunately, if you’ve got naturally oily or combination skin, it’s possible that this has contributed to the lash glue being dissolved when you’ve sweated throughout the day or during the night.
You’re wearing oil based makeup: as with the above, anything oily is going to dissolve that all important lash glue, so it’s imperative that you only wear appropriate makeup and avoid anything that contains oil. We’re not just talking about mascara or eyeliner either – your entire face needs to be oil free, because those molecules spread with ease.
Your lashes are naturally sparse: those with fragile, delicate or few eyelashes will find that their extensions don’t last anywhere near as people who are lucky enough to have a full and luscious set already! Unfortunately, you can only glue false lashes down to existing ones, so if there aren’t that many there in the first place, you’ll struggle to keep them looking good.
You use waterproof mascara: thick formulas in mascaras that are waterproof or designed to last for longer periods of time can cause damage to our natural lashes, containing ingredients that over time build up and lead to unwanted shedding or more permanent damage.
Plus, when this mascara is then applied on top of your lash extensions, those ingredients can also weaken the adhesive and compromise its bond, which also contributes to a faster rate of loss.
You sleep face down: this is not at all conducive to maintaining a set of false lashes, so if you push your face into your pillow at bedtime, prepare to wake up to it covered in your lashes after, or learn to sleep on your side!
You have a medical condition: if you’ve previously struggled with Trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), alopecia, an over or underactive thyroid or undergone chemotherapy, this could be impacting on your lashes, whether that’s their growth rate, how quickly they shed or the general quality of them. Look at our article Why don’t eyelash extensions last? to get more tips for keeping your lashes lasting longer.
If you haven’t noticed yourself rubbing your eyes or messing with your lashes (and be honest, because it could just as easily be your fault!) then it’s probable that the issue lies with your lash technician and the quality of their products, and not with your lash aftercare.
As a certified lash and brow artist, I am passionate about helping others grow their lash and brow businesses, while educating consumers on the current trends.
So let me help you get the lash or brow business you’ve always wanted! We have a lot of great information on One Stop Lashes to help you.
Need more clients? Get your business listed with us, and we can help you get customers in your seat. I have 15 years of experience in the beauty industry and am certified in eyelash extensions, lash lifts, microblading, and lash and brow tints.
Being involved in the lash and brow industry, I have helped numerous businesses as a consultant helping lash artists grow their businesses and income.
In addition, I help my clients with a strategy to build the perfect lash business for long-term sustainable growth.