Why you should understand lash shedding season

Did you know that the human body loses its hair naturally? The growth cycle lasts between 60 to 90 days. It might not seem like it, but we lose about 1 to 5 lashes naturally every day. 

The lash cycle has 3 growth phases: initial growth phase,  anagen phase, catagen phase, and telogen phase. Once the hair reaches the last phase of the growth cycle, it will fall, so that new hair can grow again.  It is called shedding.

During some times of the year, we’ll lose more lashes than usual, and we’ll call this: seasonal lash shedding. 

We tend to lose more hair whenever there are seasonal changes, such as in spring and fall in September and October. This happens because the human body is preparing for the next season.

Lash shedding will affect lash extensions because whenever a natural lash will fall, the lash extension will fall with it. 

We usually don’t notice this happening on our natural lashes because our lashes are so tiny that it seems normal to lose a lash here and there, but having lash extensions on will for sure make it feels like a lot of natural lashes are falling. 

This can affect the final result of a lash set. They could look less full, or clients would have less good lash retentions. This isn’t anyone’s fault. 

Unfortunately, there is nothing that we can do about this. This cycle happens naturally and lasts up to 8 weeks. Using a lash serum can help the growth cycle to go faster. 

There are however ways to maintain lash health and to maximize the length of your client’s natural lash growth cycle. First, make sure that your client understands the importance of a healthy diet and proper nutrition in maintaining lash health. If your client is deficient in important vitamins, like vitamin A, B, C, D, or iron, zinc, or magnesium, they could be experiencing lash loss due to their lashes not getting the proper nutrients for their health. Indeed, the same foods that keep our hair healthy will also keep our lashes strong and enduring. Foods such as fatty fish, spinach, lean meats, fruits, and other healthy foods will help strengthen your natural lashes as well as keep you healthy and full of color.

Do be careful not to overdo it, however. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing when it comes to consuming these important nutrients. For example, a diet high in fat (even good fats like olive oil or salmon) can cause excess oil production and cause sebum buildup and blockages. This will cause your client’s natural eyelashes to fall out sooner and make it more difficult for your eyelash extensions to adhere to the natural lash. The same thing applies to excess consumption of vitamin A and C, these may stimulate lash growth but also might mean that the natural lashes fall off sooner. However, vitamin B and D as well as supplements like iron that improve blood circulation can help maximize your client’s lash cycle without the worry of consuming too much that it affects their eyelash extension retention.

Another thing that influences lash shedding is whether they are living a healthy lifestyle. We’ve all noticed the phenomenon of our hair shedding when we are stressed. This applies to our natural lashes as well. Heavy drugs or alcohol use, lack of adequate sleep, poor circulation, and other health factors can influence how often we shed lashes and also the length of retention! Make sure you consult with your clients regarding their health or the medication that they are taking, as this is very important to know all the factors that may affect retention rates.

It is also important to let your client know when to be concerned about their lashes shedding and when to give you a call. If they are losing more than the average amount of extensions on a day-to-day basis, have them call you. Also, if a lot of extensions are falling off but not attached to the natural lashes is also a concern. If the eyelash extensions are shedding and are all clumped together or if multiple lashes are attached to one extension during the shedding process are also a concern. Make sure they contact you for any of the following reasons.

It is very important for lash artists to educate their clients about these issues, or some clients could think there are issues with their lash artist works and adhesive. 

Understanding lash shedding season will help you plan their refill schedule since some clients could lose more lashes than others. Let them know they should contact you if they see their lashes falling more than usual, so you can schedule an appointment faster.