Everyone warns you about the hair on your head falling out during chemo, but no-one really mentions your eyelashes and eyebrows too.
When they start going, usually later than the hair on your scalp, it catches people off guard. Lashes and brows can frame your eyes, especially if you dont wear glasses, and without them you can feel that the face in the mirror stops looking like yours.
If that's where you are, you're not being vain. It's one of the most common things people tell us they weren't prepared for.
Why eyelashes fall out during chemotherapy treatment
Chemotherapy targets fast-dividing cells, and hair follicles divide fast wherever they are on the body. Eyelashes grow more slowly than scalp hair, which is why they usually go later, often a few weeks or even a couple of months into treatment.
Some people lose all of them, many just thin out, but it depends heavily on which drugs you're having.
Do eyelashes come back after cancer treatment?
Almost always, and usually faster than the hair on your head because lashes have a shorter growth cycle to begin with.
Most people see the first regrowth within a few weeks to a couple of months of finishing treatment. Like scalp hair, they can come back looking a bit different at first, sometimes finer, sometimes with a different curl. That tends to settle over the following months.
What happens when eyelashes fall out?
Eyelashes do a job by keeping dust, sweat and draughts out of your eyes.
Without them, a lot of people find their eyes get dry, gritty, watery or generally irritated. Some find bright light harder to cope with and wind becomes an irritant.
Things that help:
- Sunglasses outdoors, even in dull weather, since they block wind as much as light
- Clean glasses if you wear them, which shield more than you'd think
- Keeping hands away from your eyes, as rubbing makes everything worse
If your eyes are persistently sore, watering, red or your vision changes at all, tell your team rather than buying drops off the shelf. Some chemotherapy drugs affect the eyes directly and there are treatments they can offer. Don't use anything in your eyes without asking your team first.
Go gently
Whatever lashes you have left are fragile, and the skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your body.
- Take eye make-up off slowly with a gentle, oil-based or micellar remover rather than scrubbing
- Hold the pad against the lashes for twenty seconds to dissolve things before you wipe
- Skip waterproof mascara, because getting it off does more damage than wearing it is worth
- Put away the eyelash curler entirely
- Replace old mascara, since infection risk matters more while your immunity is low, and don't share it with anyone
Lash serums are worth a specific mention. Several are sold for regrowth and some contain ingredients that aren't suitable during treatment. Ask your oncology team before using any of them.
False lashes when you've none of your own
This is where most people get frustrated, and it's a fair frustration. Almost every tutorial online assumes you have natural lashes to hide the band against. With none, an ordinary strip lash sits on bare skin and looks exactly like what it is.
What makes the difference is the lash itself. Look for:
- A soft, thin, invisible band, which is the single most important feature, because a thick black band with nothing to blend into is the giveaway
- A natural, wispy shape rather than a dense or dramatic style, as sparse and varied looks far more like real lashes
- Shorter lengths, since long lashes on a bare lid look obviously applied
- Lightweight construction, because heavy lashes drag on skin that's already delicate
We stock false eyelashes chosen for lash loss for exactly this reason, including a magnetic option.
Applying them
Measure and trim first. Hold the lash against your lid and cut from the outer end so it fits between your inner and outer corner. Almost every lash needs trimming, and one that's too wide will lift at the corner within an hour.
Soften the band. Bend it into a curve and hold it for a few seconds so it follows the shape of your eyelid instead of fighting it.
Use less glue than you think. A thin line along the band, then wait twenty to thirty seconds until it turns tacky rather than wet. Applying it wet is why lashes slide around.
Place it from above. Look down into a mirror on the table rather than up at one on the wall. Set the middle down first, as close to the lash line as you can manage, then press the outer corner, then the inner.
Draw a fine line along the base. This is the trick that matters most without natural lashes. A thin line of dark eyeliner along the band hides the join completely. It's the difference between looking like you're wearing false lashes and looking like you have lashes.
If glue is the problem
Plenty of people find glue difficult, whether from shaky hands, fatigue or skin that's become reactive.
Magnetic lashes solve that. You apply a magnetic liner along the lash line, let it dry, and the lash clicks onto it. No glue near your eye, no waiting, and they come off cleanly at the end of the day.
They take a couple of goes to get the hang of, and the liner needs to be properly dry before the lash will hold, but its worth persevering with if glue hasn't worked for you.
Whatever you use, patch test first. Skin is more reactive during treatment, and adhesives are a common cause of irritation.
What to skip during cancer treatment
Lash extensions and lash lifts are best left until after you've finished chemo. The glue sits on the lash line for weeks, infection risk is higher while your immunity is low, and applying them to fragile or shedding lashes damages what's left.
Learn from the experts
Look Good Feel Better run a free wigs, brows and lashes workshop covering exactly this, taught by beauty professionals who do it for a living. Watching someone apply a lash in front of you beats any written guide, including this one.
If your brows have gone too, our guide to temporary eyebrow tattoos covers the other half of the problem.
Frequently asked questions
Do you lose your eyelashes with chemotherapy? Many people do, though not everyone. Lashes usually go later than the hair on your head, often a few weeks to a couple of months into treatment, and some people only thin rather than lose them completely.
Do eyelashes grow back after chemo? Almost always. Most people see regrowth within a few weeks to a couple of months of finishing treatment, often faster than scalp hair. They may come back finer or with a different curl at first.
What false eyelashes are best for chemo patients? Look for a soft, thin, invisible band, a wispy natural shape and shorter lengths. A thick black band is obvious when there are no natural lashes to blend it against. Magnetic lashes are a good option if glue is difficult.
Why are my eyes sore without eyelashes? Lashes keep dust, wind and sweat out of your eyes, so without them eyes often feel dry, gritty or watery. Sunglasses help. If soreness persists or your vision changes, speak to your team.
Can I use a lash growth serum during chemotherapy? Ask your oncology team first. Some contain ingredients that aren't suitable during treatment, so it's worth checking rather than assuming.
Not medical advice. Anything to do with your eyes or your treatment is a question for your oncology team.
