Eyelash Extensions in Bloom - All About Lash Allergies
Allergies & Lashes
Red, itchy, burning, irritated. These annoying, sometimes painful symptoms that often accompany allergy season can be exasperated in those who wear eyelash extensions. This is because eyelashes are designed to catch irritants and prevent them from entering the eye area. The eyelash extensions create a bigger net for allergens to get trapped. Maybe you have experienced this yourself as a client, or if you are a lash artist, you may have an increase of clients complaining of these symptoms. The following will be helpful for you to know how to manage these symptoms without sacrificing your beautiful eyelash extensions.
ALLERGIC REACTION
+ Isolated incident occurring when you get eyelash extensions applied
+ No change in symptoms, even if you take an antihistamine or allergy medication
+ Symptoms are only affecting the eyes, may be isolated to one eye
SEASONAL ALLERGY
+ Occurring during seasons of the year whether or not you have eyelash extensions.
+ Symptoms improve when antihistamine or allergy medication is taken
+ Symptoms are not isolated to the eyes, i.e. a runny nose, sneezing, stuffy nose
SEASONAL ALLERGY SYMPTOMS
Depending on the irritants in the air that you are sensitive to, you may experience symptoms in Spring, Summer, Fall, or all year. You may experience one symptom or many all at once. Typical symptoms include:
- Redness
- Itchiness
- Burning feeling
- Watery eyes
- Swollen eyelids
- Feeling like there is dirt or grit in your eyes
Symptoms are in both eyes and are often accompanied by a runny or stuffy nose, soreness, foggy head and lack of energy.
Researchers think nasal allergies affect about 50 million people in the United States. Allergies are increasing. They affect as many as 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children.
WHAT CAN HELP RELIEVE SEASONAL ALLERGY SYMPTOMS?
+ Avoid or limit contact with the allergens you are sensitive to
+ When enjoying time outdoors, make sure to wear sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat to reduce exposure to pollen and other irritants
+ Don't rub your eyes. Rubbing your eyes will cause histamine levels to increase and worsen your symptoms
+ Let your lash artist know of your allergy symptoms
+ Wear glasses during high allergy season, rather than contacts. If you must wear contacts make sure they are dailies and remove your contacts during your lash service
+ Make sure you are cleansing your lashes twice daily, with a lash extension approved cleanser, to release any trapped irritants that may be caught in them
+ Use the LASH PILLOW or a silk pillowcase to reduce exposure to bacteria and allergens that get stuck in traditional pillows
+ Use OTC (over the counter) saline eye drops, allergy medication or antihistamines
+ If symptoms worsen or become unbearable, make an appointment with your ophthalmologist to diagnose and create a custom treatment plan
+ Schedule fills every 2-3 weeks. You may notice an increase of shedding in Spring or Fall as a result of the season
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Comment below what your experience has been with wearing eyelash extensions and what has worked for you when it comes to handling your seasonal allergy symptoms.
Sydney Farrell
Content manager for Lash Affair by J. Paris. Her weapon of choice is glitter.
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