Have you ever wondered how your eyelashes grow? What can you do to make them look better? The life of every lash begins and ends in a bulb. Understanding the entire cycle of eyelash growth is the easiest way of discovering what a proper lash care routine should look like. Do you know the role of an eyelash serum in this process?
The condition of hair growing on each body part, including lashes, depends on the substances that are absorbed with food. There’s more to it, though! The speed of growth is written in genes, depends on the general well-being and cosmetics we use – therefore it is different for everyone.
HOW MANY LASHES DO WE HAVE?
The numbers differ. From 150 to 250 lashes are located and arranged in four rows on upper eyelids. Lower eyelids get fewer of them (50-150). Also, lower lashes are much shorter. You should know that every aberration means there’s something wrong going on. If there are too few lashes, you need to reinforce them and stimulate their growth.
WHAT DO WE NEED EYELASHES FOR?
There is a reason for lashes growing on the edges of our eyelids. Every single hair, including the tiniest one, fulfils a specific function. Eyelashes upgrade make-up and are like a natural enhancement. However, this is not the reason for their creation.
From the anatomical point of view, the functions of lashes include:
• preventing dust and flecks from getting into eyes,
• signalizing and protecting lashes against insects,
• getting rid of caught (also by tears) impurities,
• protecting from the sun over-exposure.
HOW DO EYELASHES GROW?
We don’t have one set of eyelashes throughout the life. Lashes live for around 3-4 months. They grow cyclically. It means that one cycle of a lash life takes place and is followed by the next one. Each eyelash goes through three phases during its life: anagen, catagen and telogen. Find out more on how lashes grow.
1 – Anagen
A stage of an active growth which begins the entire cycle. Some sources also mention an early and late anagen. Lashes really grow intensively at this stage and truly get longer due to dynamic cellular divisions in a hair follicle. Anagen lasts from two to three weeks or much longer (it depends on individual predispositions). Lashes grow and become long during this stage. The more nutrients they get, the stronger and healthier they are going to be. The time of the active lash growth explains why eyelashes are not as long as hair. A life cycle is counted in weeks in the case of lashes whereas it is measured with years while discussing our hairdos.
2 – Catagen
When the cellular divisions and growth phase come to an end, the catagen begins – the transitional phase. It lasts for 3-4 weeks or much longer, depending on the individual predispositions. The catagen is a moment when a lash is detached from a hair follicle which stops working and nourishing. In this phase, all lashes are still on the eyelids but they are no longer firmly rooted. Eyelashes may fall out when you rub your eyes too harshly. Most of the falling-out lashes are in the catagen phase, having a constricted or invisible bulb.
3 – Telogen
The telogen is the last phase – the so-called resting phase. It lasts for even 6-8 weeks. A hair follicle gets ready to create a new eyelash, therefore blood vessels widen and are responsible for delivering nutrients to lash bulbs. During the telogen, a new lash grows, pushing out the dead hair, unless it has already fallen out. When the old lashes fall out and are replaced with new ones, the whole cycle starts all over again.
HOW TO STIMULATE EYELASH GROWTH?
Even though all women dream of long lashes, not all of them are lucky to have naturally beautiful eyelashes. The condition and appearance of lashes depend on lots of factors which affect the way lashes grow – supplements, a make-up removal method, the type of cosmetics, eyelash treatments and procedures.
Eyelashes get damaged due to:
– regular eyelash (volume) extensions,
– being chronically exposed to stressful situations,
– wrong or lack of make-up removal,
– an improper use of a lash curler,
– applying falsies,
– rubbing or pulling lashes out,
– expired beauty products or cosmetics with harmful ingredients.
EYELASH SERUM
Applying eyelash serums is the best way of speeding up the lash growth in their natural cycle, maximally extending the anagen phase. It is impossible to provide lashes with an appropriate number of nutrients with a healthy diet only, therefore, you must deliver them on the outside, too. A well-composed eyelash serum – such as Nanolash – nourishes and strengthens lash bulbs, stimulating them to more effective work. As a result, lashes grow longer and thicker, keeping their naturalness and beauty at the same time.
