Are Your Lash Extensions Shedding More This Summer?
Have you noticed more lashes on your cleansing brush, towel or pillowcase lately?
Or maybe your extensions still look pretty, but they seem more grown out than usual by the time your touch-up comes around.
You may not be imagining it.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that some of my clients are coming back with more visible growth and more new lashes coming in between appointments. That can make their extensions look more grown out or less full sooner than they normally would.
After working with natural lashes and lash extensions for nearly two decades, I’ve learned that lashes do not always behave exactly the same throughout the year.
That being said, I also don’t want to confidently tell you that summer makes your lashes grow and shed faster when the research on eyelashes is still limited.
So let’s talk about what may be happening, what science does and does not know, and what you can do to help your lashes continue looking their best.
Your Natural Lashes Are Always Growing and Shedding
The first thing I want you to know is that losing some lashes is completely normal.
Every natural lash grows from its own individual follicle and follows its own growth cycle. Your lashes are not all growing, resting or shedding at the same time.
That is actually a good thing. If they all followed the exact same schedule, you would lose your entire lash line at once.
Instead, some lashes are actively growing while others are resting, preparing to shed or just beginning to grow back in.
The natural lash cycle is usually divided into four stages.
The growth stage
This stage is called anagen.
During this time, the follicle is actively producing the lash and the lash is becoming longer.
Research suggests that eyelashes grow approximately 0.12 to 0.14 millimeters per day, although the exact rate can vary from one person to another and even from one lash to another.
The active growth period for eyelashes is also much shorter than it is for the hair on your head. It generally lasts somewhere around four to ten weeks.
The transition stage
This stage is called catagen.
During catagen, the lash stops actively growing and the follicle begins transitioning into its resting phase.
This part of the cycle usually lasts about two to three weeks.
The resting stage
This stage is called telogen.
During telogen, the mature lash is still sitting inside the follicle, but it is no longer actively becoming longer.
It may remain there for several weeks or even a few months before it is naturally released.
The shedding stage
The final stage is called exogen.
This is when the natural lash releases from the follicle and sheds.
When you’re wearing extensions, the extension attached to that natural lash sheds along with it.
That is normal.
It does not necessarily mean the extension fell off or that something went wrong with the adhesive. In many cases, it simply means the natural lash reached the end of its cycle.
Do Natural Lashes Shed More During the Summer?
Here is the most honest answer I can give you.
It is possible, but there is not enough research on eyelashes to say that with complete certainty.
Researchers have found that the hair on our heads can change with the seasons.
One large study involving more than 800 women found that the percentage of scalp hairs in the resting stage was highest during the summer. Another study found that scalp hair shedding increased around August and September.
Researchers have also noticed seasonal changes in beard and body hair.
That tells us that human hair follicles can respond to changes throughout the year.
However, it does not automatically mean your eyelashes follow the exact same pattern.
Eyelashes are different from scalp hair. They have a much shorter active growth period, they only grow to a limited length and their follicles have not been studied nearly as much.
So while it is reasonable to believe that eyelashes may also be affected by seasonal changes, science has not confirmed a predictable summer shedding season for lashes.
At this point, we don’t have enough eyelash-specific research to say for sure.
My Theory About Heat and Faster Lash Growth
I do have a theory based on what I’ve observed over the years.
When the weather gets hotter, blood vessels near the surface of your skin widen to help your body release heat. This process increases circulation near the skin.
Because of that, I’ve wondered whether hotter weather and increased circulation may influence how quickly some clients’ natural lashes grow.
I started thinking about this because I have seen clients return during hotter months with extensions that appear farther grown out than I would normally expect.
I have also noticed more new lashes coming in between appointments and have heard clients mention seeing more shedding at home.
Could increased circulation be affecting the follicles and contributing to faster growth or turnover?
Possibly.
But this is where I have to separate my personal observation from what has actually been proven.
Researchers have not shown that ordinary summer heat makes eyelash follicles grow faster or move through their entire growth cycle more quickly.
Hair growth is controlled by a complicated combination of genetics, hormones, growth factors, immune signals and communication between the cells surrounding the follicle.
Blood circulation supports the tissue, but it is not necessarily a simple switch that tells your lashes to grow faster.
There is also an important difference between faster growth and faster shedding.
A natural lash may grow farther away from your eyelid during its active growth stage without necessarily reaching the shedding stage sooner.
That means your extensions may look more grown out without your natural lashes actually completing their full cycle faster.
So my theory may eventually prove to be partially correct, but for now, it remains a theory based on what I have observed in the treatment room.
Why Your Lashes May Look Different During the Summer
Even if summer does not directly speed up the natural lash cycle, this season can still affect how your extensions look between appointments.
Summer usually brings changes to your routine, your environment and the amount of contact your lashes receive.
It may not be one single thing causing the difference. It may be several small things happening at the same time.
You may be sweating more
Sweat does not automatically ruin properly cured lash adhesive.
The larger issue is what you do when sweat runs toward your eyes.
You may wipe, blot or touch your eye area more often without realizing it.
That extra handling and friction can loosen an extension from the natural lash. More forceful rubbing can also pull out a natural lash before it was ready to shed on its own.
The problem is not simply that your lashes became wet. It is the extra wiping, rubbing and touching that often happens afterward.
You may be wearing more sunscreen
Sunscreen is important, and I would never recommend skipping it to protect your lash extensions.
The concern is also not that sunscreen automatically dissolves cured lash adhesive.
Cyanoacrylate-based adhesive does not simply melt because it comes into contact with oil, and the LED adhesive I use is designed to create a durable, fully cured bond.
What can make a difference is how often you are touching your eye area while applying and removing sunscreen.
You may rub sunscreen close to your eyelids, wipe it away when it travels into your eyes or spend more time cleansing heavier products from around the lash line.
If the product makes your eyes water or sting, you may also touch or rub them more often.
Apply sunscreen carefully around your eyes and avoid dragging your fingers directly across your extensions.
You may be swimming more often
Your LED lash extensions can get wet. Water itself should not be treated like the enemy.
Swimming simply introduces more opportunities for irritation and friction.
Chlorinated water, salt water, sand and sunscreen may leave your eye area feeling dry, gritty or uncomfortable. That can make you more likely to rub or wipe your eyes.
You may also wear goggles that press against the extensions or dry your face more frequently with a towel.
After swimming, rinse and cleanse your lashes so chlorine, salt, sunscreen and other residue are not left sitting around the lash line.
Avoid rubbing them dry with a towel. Gently blot around the eye area instead.
Seasonal allergies may make your eyes itch
Pollen, grass, dust and other airborne irritants can be especially noticeable during warmer months.
Even when you do not think of yourself as someone who has allergies, your eyes may become watery, dry, itchy, puffy or irritated.
When your eyes itch, the natural reaction is to rub them.
Unfortunately, rubbing can affect both your extensions and the natural lashes underneath them.
An extension can release from the natural lash. A natural lash can also be pulled from the follicle before it was ready to shed.
If your eyes feel itchy, try not to scratch through your extensions with your fingers or fingernails.
Clean the lash line to remove pollen and debris, and use the aftercare tools I have recommended instead of rubbing.
Redness, swelling, pain or ongoing irritation should be evaluated by an appropriate medical professional.
Wind, dust and outdoor activities may irritate your eyes
Summer often means spending more time outdoors.
Wind, pollen, dust, sweat and sunscreen can collect around the lashes throughout the day.
When that buildup makes your eyes uncomfortable, you may rub, wipe or touch them more often.
This is one of the reasons consistent cleansing matters so much during the summer.
Your vacation routine may be different
Vacations are a wonderful break from everyday life, but they can also change your lash routine.
You may be sleeping on a different pillow, swimming every day, wearing more sunscreen and makeup or spending more time in wind and heat.
You may also fall asleep before cleansing your lashes or go longer than usual between appointments.
Your natural lash cycle continues while you are traveling.
If your touch-up is pushed back because of a vacation, your lashes have more time to grow and shed before I see you again. That alone can make your set look less full.
You may be sleeping differently
Hot weather can make you toss and turn more at night.
Your lashes may spend more time pressed into a pillow, blanket, sleep mask or your hand.
That repeated pressure can cause extensions to twist, bend or loosen.
If you sleep primarily on one side, you may also notice that one eye consistently loses more lashes than the other.
Your extensions may simply be more grown out
Sometimes what looks like increased shedding is actually more visible grow-out.
As your natural lash grows, the extension moves farther away from the eyelid.
A grown-out extension may begin to lean, twist or catch on the lashes next to it. It may also feel less balanced or look less polished.
If your natural lashes are growing a little faster, your extensions may look overdue for maintenance even when the bond is still intact.
Faster visible growth and increased shedding are not always the same thing.
Pay Attention to What Is Actually Shedding
One of the easiest ways to get a better idea of what is happening is to look at the lash that came out.
You do not need to study it closely. Just look to see whether your natural lash is still attached to the extension.
If the natural lash is attached
When you see an extension with a natural lash attached, that usually means the adhesive bond remained intact until the natural lash released.
In most cases, that is a good sign.
Your natural lash reached the shedding stage and carried the extension with it.
The extension did not simply fall off. The natural lash completed its cycle.
There is one exception to keep in mind.
If you rub, pull or pick at your lashes, you can remove a natural lash prematurely.
In that case, the natural lash may still be attached to the extension, but it may have been pulled from the follicle instead of shedding naturally.
Think about what happened before you noticed it.
Did the lash come away while you were gently cleansing or brushing? That may be normal.
Did it come out after rubbing, scratching or pulling? It may have been removed too early.
If the natural lash is not attached
If you see only the extension and there is no natural lash attached, the extension separated from the natural lash before the natural lash shed.
That is extension loss rather than natural lash shedding.
Finding a few extensions like this is not automatically a reason to worry. No adhesive bond is completely indestructible.
Individual extensions may release because of friction, handling, natural lash texture or ordinary wear.
However, repeatedly seeing a large number of extensions without natural lashes attached is different from normal shedding.
That may be a sign of increased rubbing, pressure from towels or pillows, picking, changes in your routine or a bonding issue that needs to be evaluated.
At your touch-up, the lashes that remain also tell me quite a bit.
I can usually see the difference between normal grow-out, natural shedding, twisting, mechanical wear and early bond separation.
Should You Wash Your Lash Extensions Less During the Summer?
No.
Proper cleansing is one of the best things you can do for your lashes.
There is an old idea that the less you wash or touch your extensions, the longer they will last.
That has not been my experience.
A dirty lash line is not a protected lash line.
Throughout the day, your lashes collect natural skin oils, sweat, sunscreen, makeup, dead skin, pollen, dust and other debris.
Leaving that material along the lash line can create buildup, irritation and more temptation to rub or scratch your eyes.
I recommend cleansing your lashes at least twice a day using the lash cleanser and technique I have shown you.
You may also need to cleanse after swimming, exercising or spending several hours outdoors.
The important difference is between proper cleansing and aggressive handling.
Proper cleansing removes residue from the lashes without pulling on them.
Scrubbing, scratching, twisting, towel rubbing and picking create unnecessary force.
Keep your lashes clean. Just be gentle while doing it.
How to Keep Your Lashes Looking Their Best This Summer
You cannot stop your natural lashes from growing and shedding, and you should not try to.
What you can do is reduce unnecessary loss, protect the lashes that are still growing and adjust your maintenance schedule when needed.
Clean your lashes at least twice a day
Clean them in the morning to remove anything that accumulated overnight.
Clean them again in the evening to remove sunscreen, sweat, makeup, pollen and debris from the day.
Cleanse again after swimming, intense exercise or long periods outdoors when necessary.
The cleaner and more comfortable your lash line feels, the less likely you are to rub or scratch it.
Avoid rubbing, pulling and picking
Rubbing is one of the easiest ways to lose both extensions and natural lashes before their time.
If your eyes itch, pause before using your fingers.
Clean the lash line and follow the aftercare recommendations I have given you.
Do not pull on an extension because it feels grown out, twisted or out of place. I can safely remove or replace it at your appointment.
Be mindful when applying sunscreen and skin care
Continue using the products your skin needs.
Just be careful around the eye area.
Avoid dragging your fingers, cotton pads or washcloths across the extensions.
If a product repeatedly travels into your eyes and causes watering or irritation, consider how you are applying it or speak with the appropriate professional about a better option for the eye area.
Cleanse after swimming
Do not allow chlorine, salt water, sunscreen and debris to remain around your lashes for the rest of the day.
Rinse and cleanse them after swimming.
Gently blot the surrounding skin and allow the lashes to dry. Once they are dry, brush them back into place with a clean lash wand.
Watch for unusual changes
Some variation between appointments is normal.
However, let me know if you notice a sudden major increase in natural lash shedding, significant loss in one area or one eye consistently losing much more than the other.
You should also pay attention to pain, swelling, redness, persistent irritation or a large number of extensions releasing without natural lashes attached.
Changes that begin after an illness, medication change, rapid weight loss or major health event are also worth mentioning.
I may be able to identify a mechanical or maintenance pattern during your appointment.
Persistent or significant natural lash loss may need to be evaluated by a physician, dermatologist or eye-care professional.
Schedule your touch-ups every three weeks
For most clients, a three-week touch-up schedule allows me to remove grown-out extensions, replace lashes that have naturally shed and restore the shape before the set becomes too sparse.
During periods when your lashes are growing out faster, you are shedding more or your summer routine includes frequent swimming and travel, you may need to come in sooner.
That is not a problem.
Your maintenance schedule should follow what your lashes are actually doing.
If your set begins looking less full after two or two and a half weeks, waiting until the fourth week will not make it look better. It simply gives your natural lashes more time to grow and shed before your next appointment.
Coming in sooner can help keep your lashes looking polished and prevent you from reaching the point where too few extensions remain for a regular touch-up.
What I Want You to Remember
If your lashes look more grown out or seem to be shedding more this summer, it does not automatically mean something has gone wrong.
Your natural lashes are always growing, resting and shedding.
There is evidence that scalp hair changes with the seasons, so it is reasonable to wonder whether eyelashes may do something similar.
There simply is not enough direct research on eyelash follicles to say that summer heat definitely makes them grow or shed faster.
My theory is that increased circulation during hotter weather may play some role in the faster growth I have noticed in certain clients. For now, that remains an observation rather than a proven explanation.
What we do know is that summer changes your daily routine.
You may be sweating more, swimming more, traveling, spending additional time outdoors, wearing more sunscreen or dealing with irritation from pollen, heat, wind and dust.
All of those changes can lead to more touching, rubbing, wiping, pressure and visible grow-out.
So rather than worrying every time you see a lash, take a quick look at what actually came out.
If your natural lash is attached to the extension, the bond usually held until the lash was released. If there is no natural lash attached, the extension separated early. And if you have been rubbing or pulling, a natural lash may have been removed before it was ready.
Keep cleansing your lashes at least twice a day. Avoid rubbing and unnecessary friction. Cleanse after swimming and outdoor activities. Pay attention to unusual changes. And maintain your touch-ups every three weeks, or sooner when your lashes need it.
You may not be able to control every part of your natural lash cycle, but you can protect your lashes and make small adjustments that help your extensions continue looking their best throughout the summer.