It may seem to go unnoticed, but all hair on our bodies replaces itself every few years! The cycle is actually quite slow and very specific to the part of the body on which it grows. Hair on your head has a longer cycle, which is why eyelashes and eyebrows never get as long and stop at a certain length!
It is important for us to keep our eyelashes healthy and nourish and by doing so, we need to understand our growth cycle!
Understanding your Eyelash Growth Cycle
Type 1 : Anagen (Growth) Phase
Also known as the growth phase, the anagen phase is the period when your eyelashes are actively growing, and this can last between 30 to 45 days. Only about 40 percent of the upper lashes and 15 percent of the lower lashes are in the anagen phase at any one time. Each lash will grow to a specific length and then stop.
Type 2 : Catagen (Transition) Phase
The catagen phase is also known as the transition phase. During this phase, the lash stops growing and the shrinking of the hair follicle happens. If an eyelash falls out or is plucked out during this phase, it won’t grow back right away because the follicle needs to complete the catagen phase before it can move on to the next one. This phase lasts between two to three weeks.
It’s therefore important to understand that it’s perfectly normal for your eyelashes to drop. However, proper cleansing of your lashes is also imperative to the shelf life of eyelash extensions. Proper care will help to keep them clean and remove excess oils from make-up or surrounding skin areas. Facial oils can also break down the bonds and integrity of the extension and can cause early extension separation.