Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Complications
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Pulling out your eyelashes can be a symptom of various conditions, includinganxiety,obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ortrichotillomania.You may find the urge to pull out your hair overwhelming, and once the hair is pulled out, you feel relief. In this sense, it’s a compulsion.
Your eyelashes help keep dirt and dust out of your eyes, so not having eyelashes makes the eye vulnerable to possible problems. Pulling out the eyelashes can also lead to irritation and infection, so getting help is important.
This article will review the symptoms of pulling out eyelashes and the causes and treatment options.
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Signs Someone Is Pulling Out Their Eyelashes
Eyelash-pulling behavior may become noticeable to others when you lack lashes. A healthcare provider may also make this observation during an exam.
You may have an uncontrollable urge to pull out your eyelashes or do it without thinking about it. You may feel a sense of relief after pulling the eyelashes out. Or, you may have increased tension when trying to avoid pulling out the hair.
The hair-pulling may be ritualistic behavior, for instance, you pull it out in a specific way or search for a certain kind of hair. Attempts to hide the lack of eyelashes might also be made, like wearing false eyelashes.
Why People May Pull Out Eyelashes
Trichotillomania is a common cause of pulling out eyelashes. This is a body-focused repetitive behavior in which a person pulls out their hair.It is an impulse control disorder and is sometimes classified as a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Medical Reasons for Missing EyelashesEyelash hairs may be missing due to a medical cause. Certain disorders can cause hair to fall out. This includesalopecia areata(an immune system disorder leading to hair loss), as well as other forms of alopecia (hair loss). Chemotherapy treatments for cancer can also cause eyelash loss.
Medical Reasons for Missing Eyelashes
Eyelash hairs may be missing due to a medical cause. Certain disorders can cause hair to fall out. This includesalopecia areata(an immune system disorder leading to hair loss), as well as other forms of alopecia (hair loss). Chemotherapy treatments for cancer can also cause eyelash loss.
What to Do If You Lose Your Eyelashes During Chemotherapy
Treatments to Help Stop Pulling Out Eyelashes
Having trichotillomania is often the reason for pulling out hair, but screening for other conditions is important to determine treatment. If trichotillomania is the cause, behavioral therapy is often effective.
Behavioral therapy involves becoming aware of triggers that set off the behavior and then changing the behavior.Habit-reversal training is particularly effective for pulling out hair.Interpersonal therapyto work on self-esteem and daily functioning might also help.
SSRIs can take up to six weeks at a therapeutic dose to become effective. If the medication does not help at all, it should be discontinued.
SSRI medications used can include:
Other medications that might be used include:
What Is Latisse?
Do Eyelashes Grow Back?
Complications Associated With Pulling Out Eyelashes
Eyelashes protect the eyes from dust, dirt, and sun. Without that natural protection, the eyes are more vulnerable to elements or debris.
Complications of pulling out one’s eyelashes can include:
In addition to their utility, eyelashes also serve a cosmetic function for many people. You may feel self-conscious about how your eyes look and worry about eyelashes growing back. One study of people with breast cancer who lost eyelashes to chemotherapy found that 46% of them had most of their eyelashes grow back within a year.Your healthcare provider can help you know what to expect.
Experts find that some people face ridicule due to missing eyelashes.Exposure therapymay help them prepare for these situations while in a safe, controlled setting.
Talk with a healthcare provider if you are pulling out your eyelashes or any other hair. They can refer you to a mental health provider who specializes in OCD spectrum disorders or anxiety disorders. Without treatment, the behavior is likely to continue.
Summary
Without treatment, the behavior will likely continue. However, it is treatable with behavioral therapies and medication may be prescribed.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mental Health America.Trichotillomania (hair pulling).Anxiety Institute.Compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania).Rossi A, Fortuna MC, Caro G, et al.Chemotherapy-induced alopecia management: Clinical experience and practical advice.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):537–541. doi:10.1111/jocd.12308Anxiety & Depression Association of America.Trichotillomania - facts and treatment.Venneugues RV, Macbeth A, Level NJ.Dramatic and persistent loss of eyelashes.JRSM Open. 2015;6(5):2054270415579779. doi:10.1177/2054270415579779Watanabe T, Yagata H, Saito M, et al.A multicenter survey of temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss in breast cancer patients.PLOS ONE. 2019;14(1):e0208118. doi: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208118
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mental Health America.Trichotillomania (hair pulling).Anxiety Institute.Compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania).Rossi A, Fortuna MC, Caro G, et al.Chemotherapy-induced alopecia management: Clinical experience and practical advice.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):537–541. doi:10.1111/jocd.12308Anxiety & Depression Association of America.Trichotillomania - facts and treatment.Venneugues RV, Macbeth A, Level NJ.Dramatic and persistent loss of eyelashes.JRSM Open. 2015;6(5):2054270415579779. doi:10.1177/2054270415579779Watanabe T, Yagata H, Saito M, et al.A multicenter survey of temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss in breast cancer patients.PLOS ONE. 2019;14(1):e0208118. doi: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208118
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mental Health America.Trichotillomania (hair pulling).Anxiety Institute.Compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania).Rossi A, Fortuna MC, Caro G, et al.Chemotherapy-induced alopecia management: Clinical experience and practical advice.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):537–541. doi:10.1111/jocd.12308Anxiety & Depression Association of America.Trichotillomania - facts and treatment.Venneugues RV, Macbeth A, Level NJ.Dramatic and persistent loss of eyelashes.JRSM Open. 2015;6(5):2054270415579779. doi:10.1177/2054270415579779Watanabe T, Yagata H, Saito M, et al.A multicenter survey of temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss in breast cancer patients.PLOS ONE. 2019;14(1):e0208118. doi: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208118
Mental Health America.Trichotillomania (hair pulling).
Anxiety Institute.Compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania).
Rossi A, Fortuna MC, Caro G, et al.Chemotherapy-induced alopecia management: Clinical experience and practical advice.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;16(4):537–541. doi:10.1111/jocd.12308
Anxiety & Depression Association of America.Trichotillomania - facts and treatment.
Venneugues RV, Macbeth A, Level NJ.Dramatic and persistent loss of eyelashes.JRSM Open. 2015;6(5):2054270415579779. doi:10.1177/2054270415579779
Watanabe T, Yagata H, Saito M, et al.A multicenter survey of temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss in breast cancer patients.PLOS ONE. 2019;14(1):e0208118. doi: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208118
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