By Nell Geraets
When Betty Boop wants attention, she flutters her long, luscious eyelashes. In Thomas Hood’s poem Ruth, he is captured by her “long lashes”. And beauty TikTokers lather on layer after layer of mascara to attain the fullest, darkest lash possible.
Lengthy, full eyelashes have long been considered a sign of beauty, while some researchers argue that long eyelashes signal good health and youth. It comes as little surprise then that a wave of products has been developed to make eyelashes appear darker and longer, including mascara, stick-on lashes and, most recently, eyelash growth serums.
Eyelash growth serums are everywhere now, but do they make your eyelashes longer?Credit: Compiled by Marija Ercegovac.
Over the past decade, the number of over-the-counter lash serums promising longer eyelashes has ballooned, with influencers gushing over their “miracle results” online. But do they work – and are they safe to use?
The lowdown on lash serums
The only eyelash serum with a scientific study to back its claims of longer lashes is Latisse. This product contains Bimatoprost, a medication used to treat ocular conditions such as glaucoma. It moved into the cosmetics space once people realised it also increased the size and length of eyelashes.
However, this isn’t the only possible side effect associated with Latisse and other Bimatoprost-based serums. Dr Shanel Sharma, a Sydney-based consultant ophthalmologist, says the medication can cause dry and red eyes, and can even permanently darken the iris.
Latisse has been proven to increase eyelash length, but it could also change the colour of your eye – permanently.Credit: Getty Images
“It can permanently turn green or blue eyes into brown eyes,” she says. “It can also grow hair along the skin when used as an eye drop, as well as darkening around the skin, which is referred to as panda eyes.”
For this reason, the Therapeutic Goods Administration has not approved the supply of Latisse in Australia. Sharma says medical practitioners will in some cases prescribe Bimatoprost products to people with hypotrichosis, a rare condition in which there is little or no hair growth on the head and face, but the medication is not available for cosmetic use.
What about over-the-counter serums?
There are several over-the-counter lash serums available in Australia, including Lust Minerals’ Lash & Brow Growth Serum and Lash Rehab’s Eyelash Growth Serum. With Bimatoprost off the table here, most of these products contain a range of peptides, vitamins, hyaluronic acid and plant extracts such as ginseng, which are said to help stimulate the lashes and improve volume.
While peptides have been shown to help support hair growth on the scalp, Sharma says there is limited evidence that they have the same effect on eyelashes.
“As an ophthalmologist, I can’t recommend a treatment for which there is insufficient evidence that it will be able to achieve the stated outcomes. The safety profile is also unclear,” she says.
Dr Vannessa Leung, a corneal specialist at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, says there is no proof that the common ingredients in over-the-counter lash growth serums are beneficial.
Are they safe to use?
Sharma says it’s important to consider any risk, no matter how small, when applying a foreign substance into or near the eye.
“As these products are relatively new, there’s limited long-term safety data,” Sharma says. “Some potential adverse impacts of eyelash serums ... include poliosis (white patches in hair, including eyelashes) and lash ptosis and trichiasis – abnormal positioning of eyelashes, which can cause irritation and obstruct vision. In some cases, these changes cannot be reversed, even if you stop using the serums.”
Certain subreddits suggest some Australians may try to buy Latisse or other Bimatoprost products from overseas online, essentially bypassing the TGA’s ruling. Leung strongly warns against this, noting the irreversibility of some of the potential side effects.
“Latisse was submitted to the TGA for approval in 2013/2014, but the application was rejected for a number of reasons,” Leung says. “It was unclear how the product worked. There were also many side effects, including irreversible changes to the normal fat around the eye, leading to the appearance of sunken eyes, known as enophthalmos.”
Only 40 per cent of people had a favourable response, she says. That being said, the product was only tested for a four-month period, and once the person stopped using the product, any effects wore off.
I still want longer lashes. Are there other options?
Unfortunately, Leung says there’s no proven dietary or natural method for extending your lashes.
“There are multiple procedural options for false, extended, or stick-on lashes, but often these involve adhesives like glues,” Leung says. “People should be aware these adhesives have a risk of allergic reactions and eye irritation. We often see patients presenting to us when the glue accidentally enters the eye and damages the surface.”
So, what is the safest way to create the illusion of longer, fuller lashes? Sharma has one simple solution: “mascara”.
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