Anatomy of the lash cycle is fascinating and a must to know in order to educate clients when they choose to get lash extensions, a lash lift and tint service or any lash service at all since there are a few choices available.
Services that enhance lashes have been growing over the years and lash serums have been quite popular for over 10 years.
*Serums or conditioners as they are often referred to help promote faster growth and are meant to strengthen and increase the length and for some people they find they have more hair follicles form, therefore giving the lash line a fuller look.
*Lash extensions have also become a popular way to enhance the length and fullness of ones’ natural lash line. When these products first came out they were only capable of lengthening the lash then the 2D-3D was created which is a little “bundle” of synthetic lashes being adhered to one natural lash to create a voluminous look
Lashes on the upper lid are coarser, longer and more abundant that the lower lash line. The upper lid has approximately 90-160 lashes and grow on average of 7mm-9mm in length and are located in three to five rows along the lash line.
The average span of a natural lash is 45-90 days depending on each individual. Eyelashes go through four stages of hair growth.
1. Anagen — this is when the lashes are actively growing, the phasing of the growth cycle is staggered across the eye line. 40% of the follicles are in the Anagen stage at any given time, which prevents us from periodic phases of baldness when the growth cycle stops.
2. Catagen — during this phase the lash stops growing and the hair follicle shrinks, this transition phase can last 10-21 days.
3. Telogen — this is the resting phase before the lash falls out and a new one begins to grow. Around 10-15% of the lashes on the lid are in this phase.
During this phase a new hair begins to grow from the hair follicle.
4. Exogen — the shedding phase where the hair sheds naturally from the follicle. This is a natural process of the replacement of old lashes with new.
The natural lash grows for approximately 30 days, rests, and then the cycle begins again before falling out.