If you think your eyelash extensions are falling out too soon, there may be a number of reasons for this. We’ve listed 15 possible causes as well as easy instructions on how to prevent it.
15 Reasons Why Your Lash Extensions Are Falling Out
1. The growth cycle of your natural lashes
Your natural lashes have a growth cycle, much like the rest of your hair. This consists of three phases – the anagen or growth phase, the catagen or transition phase, and the telogen or resting phase.
Depending on where you are in this cycle, you may experience some lash shedding. A certain degree is totally normal during the catagen or telogen phase, which can last anywhere up to or over 100 days.
As such, if you tug out a lash towards the start of this phase, you may be waiting a while for a new one to grow in.
It’s perfectly normal to experience a degree of natural shedding of your eyelashes – and with them, your eyelash extensions.
This just means that your lashes are in their shedding or resting phase. If you think your lash loss is excessive, however, it may be any of the below reasons that are causing this.
2. Wearing make-up
The joy of eyelash extensions is in giving you an easy breezy look, and saving you precious time that’s otherwise spent applying make-up.
That said, you can wear make-up when you have extensions in, but you need to take care that it’s not oil-based.
You should also check that your make-up remover is also not oil-based, too.
3. Wearing certain mascara
If you wear waterproof, oil-based, fiber, or tube mascara, then you’re not giving your eyelash extensions the best environment.
Oil-based mascaras will interfere with the adhesive of your extensions, as will fiber or tube mascara.
Waterproof mascara may also require some rigor to remove, as you might need to tug or pull at your lashes to really get rid of the residue.
This friction will only cause some shedding and fallout of your extensions.
4. Not removing make-up properly
If you aren’t gentle when removing your make-up from your eyes and face, then your eyelash extensions may start falling out.
Any excess friction will loosen the bond formed on application, which can cause them to shed sooner than you’d expected.
You also want to ensure that you properly cleanse, dry, and brush out your extensions at the end of every day, to remove any residue and build-up. We talk more about this below.
5. Using oil-based products and make-up around the eyes
Oil-based products are not a friend for your eyelash extensions.
Oil dissolves and interferes with the adhesive of your extensions, loosening the bond your lash technician will have carefully created between the extension and your natural lash.
Avoid any make-up remover that contains oils, as well as any make-up. You may also want to look at the eye cream and moisturizer you’re using on your face, too, as this might be interacting badly with your extensions.
Even the shampoo and conditioner that you use might interact badly with your extensions.
Many hair care products contain oils, which are good news for hydrating and conditioning your hair, but bad news for your extensions.
You can always wash your extensions with a specially formulated cleanser after having shampooed and conditioned your locks.
This will remove any oil from them, and reduce the risk of the adhesive dissolving.
6. Poor application
It’s worth paying up for a premium experience when it comes to the application of lash extensions.
The process involves many chemicals and might cause some sensitivity if not done properly.
At the least, a poor technician might make rookie errors like forgetting to clean your natural lashes before applying the extensions.
Extensions won’t take to unclean lashes, so this will result in fallout and shedding.
If you attend a less than high-quality lash technician, you may not also experience a fully customized experience.
Ideally, your technician would be adjusting your eyelash extensions according to your facial features and the look you’re going for.
Maybe you want a super dark, dense look with a decent curl, or perhaps you’re going for a more natural look. Either way, you want your technician to work on the length, volume, and density of your extensions.
If they don’t, you may experience extensions that are too heavy for your eyelids. This will be uncomfortable for you, but may also result in some premature lash shedding as a result.
Always ensure that you communicate with your technician so that you get the look you want and don’t waste either your valuable time or money.
7. You rub your eyes frequently
Please don’t touch your eyes when you have extensions in.
You may love nothing more than a good eye rub before bed or when you wake up, but you’ll be transferring oils from your skin onto your extensions, which can interfere with the adhesive.
Similarly, the friction may cause the extensions to loosen, which will end up in them falling out too soon.
8. Your sleeping habits
Sometimes, the way you sleep and poor sleep hygiene will cause your extensions to fall out too soon.
Friction between your pillow and your extensions may result in them becoming loose and either tangling or shedding.
Using a contoured eye mask, sleeping on silk, or sleeping on your back are all ways that you can reduce this friction and protect your extensions whilst you catch your much-needed beauty rest.
9. Poor lash care
Your eyelashes have a purpose – they’re designed to catch and trap dirt and debris particles, preventing them from entering your delicate eyes.
This residue will also build up in your extensions, and if you’re not regularly cleaning them, you may end up with fallout.
At the least, this might be some shedding of your extensions, at the worst, you may suffer from an infection like conjunctivitis.
Always thoroughly clean your extensions at the end of every day to avoid these risks.
When you’re brushing your extensions with either a spoolie or a clean mascara wand, always be as gentle as possible to minimize any tugging or pulling.
It’s also best to start from the midpoint of your lashes, brushing down towards the tip. You may pull some extensions out if you start too close to the roots, so care and attention is needed.
You need to let your eyelash extensions dry once you’ve cleaned them.
Don’t be tempted to use a hairdryer, as the combination of heat and air blasting in your face will result in poor retention of your extensions, as they’ll warm and dislodge the adhesive.
When you have lash extensions in, you may also need to adjust your exercise of choice.
High-sweat activities like a spin class or hot yoga may be fantastic, but the amount that you sweat may cause your lash extensions to loosen, as the sweat will interact with and dissolve the adhesive.
Take care to always thoroughly cleanse your lash extensions after you work out, so as to reduce this risk.
10. Certain medication and medical conditions
Certain medical conditions such as alopecia or thyroid can impact the growth of your hair, which includes your eyelashes.
There are medications that you can take to help manage certain conditions, which might result in some hair and eyelash regrowth.
Treatments like chemotherapy will also inhibit eyelash growth and may result in hair and eyelash loss, too.
If you have concerns about your medication or medical conditions causing excessive hair loss or shedding, it’s best to speak to a physician who can advise accordingly.
11. Getting your extensions wet after application
The golden rule is to leave your newly applied eyelash extensions for at least 48 hours following your appointment.
Exposure to water in any form – whether in the form of sweat, tears, or when washing your face – will interact with the adhesive and prevent it from bonding properly. The result? Eyelash extensions that fall out too soon.
12. Diet
Ensuring that you have a healthy, balanced diet is essential for your overall health, but it can also contribute to the growth and overall health of your hair and eyelashes.
Vitamins like B, C, D, and E are all great for hair and eyelash growth, and it’s worth also ensuring that you get enough zinc and iron, too.
Protein is also necessary, as your hair is primarily made up of keratin, so you can also look for foods that naturally contain these nutrients, or aim to regularly imbibe supplements to help you support your hair growth from the inside-out.
13. Humidity and weather
Both the weather and humidity level can impact whether or not your extensions fall out sooner than planned.
Areas of high humidity will have very moist air, which may interact badly with the adhesive of your extensions – particularly in the period immediately after application.
High wind may also loosen the extensions, and sweat resulting from hot climes can do similarly.
14. Lash conditioners and growth serums
Although lash conditioners and growth serums are ideal for use on natural lashes, they may actually be causing your extensions to fall out if their ingredients interact badly with the glue of your extensions.
You can always ask your technician to give you the green light for using a particular lash serum or conditioner on your extensions if you’re concerned.
15. Oily skin
If you have naturally oily skin, you might experience premature lash shedding.
Oil is the enemy of your eyelash extensions, as it disrupts the bond of your extensions’ adhesive, and may therefore result in them falling out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Your eyelash extensions should not be falling out after only one day of wear. They may be falling out too soon because of poor initial application, or if you’ve exposed your extensions to water too quickly after your appointment.
If your extensions are only lasting a week, it’s likely that not enough were applied during your appointment. Equally, if you aren’t properly cleansing your extensions, or if they were exposed to water after your appointment, they may fall out too soon.