Lash allergies get worse with more exposure to the adhesive.  This can make identifying an allergy a little bit tricky, because the first reaction may be mild and mirror an irritation.  On the other hand, it can also be a gentle lead to identifying an allergy and putting a stop to lash application long before the allergy gets out of hand.  There are many times, however, that an allergy goes unnoticed and develops into something extreme.*

These situations can be pretty miserable and clients will obviously call their lash artist for immediate help! What do you do?!

First and foremost, stay calm.  Gaining a little bit of knowledge and understanding eyelash extension allergies will help you best care for your clients and keep them comfortable.

EYELASH EXTENSION ALLERGY TREATMENT STEPS:

1. Have them take a Benadryl to help alleviate some of the swelling and itchiness.
2. Remove the client’s lashes as soon as possible.
3. In the meantime, tell your client to use a saline or sterilized foam wash (specifically designed for lashes and eyelids).  Both of these will help cool the eyelids and make them feel more comfortable.
4. Tell them to go to a doctor if swelling and symptoms persist after 48 hours of removing lashes. The doctor will ask to see the MSDS for the adhesive to know what ingredients are in the adhesive.  It’s best practice to either have this on hand or know what ingredients are in the professional lash adhesive. Remember, typically clients are allergic to cyanoacrylate in the adhesive - tell the doctor that.

After allergies have developed, lash artists should discontinue applying lashes on those clients.  The most important thing you can do as a lash artist is to stay educated.  This will help you remain calm and best know how to help your clients. Let me know if you have any other questions.

xoxo,

Megan

*A few months back I posted about the difference between allergies and irritations.  If you still have questions or want tips on how to minimize allergies, refer back to that post here.