So, during winter break, I went to get an eye exam since I hadn’t gone to the eye doctor since 2015 (yikes)!
As I suspected, my prescription didn’t change much, but I did have a question I was dying to ask a licensed ophthalmologist. When I finished the exam, I could sense she was already expecting a question, since I seem to come back with at least two every time.
This time, I wanted to know two things:
1. Why do my eyelashes itch so much?
2. How can I make them stop?
When she asked me to elaborate, my story went something like this: I’ve gotten into a habit of pulling on my eyelashes because my eyes itch in a place where rubbing the eyes doesn’t help. It got to the point where I could pull on my eyelashes and maybe five would come out at the same time. My eyelashes weren’t sparse and were certainly still growing, but my lashline itched regularly. She told me that my experience was common.
If you’re story is something like mine, keep reading! I have a solution!
My doctor told me I probably have blepharitis, which I admit I expected because I googled ahead of time. She characterized the basis of symptoms to have itchy a lashline that has flakes and the eyelashes come out rather easily. She said there is no definite cure for it, but I could solve my itchy eyelash problem by simply placing a warm wet cloth over my eyes for about thirty seconds whenever necessary. “Pat them dry,” she said. “Or you’ll accidentally tear out eyelashes by rubbing.”
So I did what was recommended for a few weeks, but I couldn’t take the time to remoisten my lashline every time they got itchy. I mean, in the morning and in the evening, maybe, but if you’ve read my vitiligo post, you know I don’t care much for hassle or tedium. So, I did what any other human being with access to the internet would do- I took to the internet.
I researched for a long time on different moisturizers that could possibly help me with keeping my lashline moisturized throughout the day. Alas, I came upon the holy grail of oils: castor oil. Castor oil is known to help kill excess bacteria, control oil output, and strengthen hair among several other benefits. I ordered a small 4 oz. bottle knowing that castor oil is one of the thickest oils, so I wouldn’t need much. The type that I ordered came with applicators for the lashline and for the eyebrows (if you want to thicken your eyebrows, I suppose).
I can honestly say that I noticed results after day one. I applied the oil before I went to sleep. The next day, there were zero flakes, zero eyelashes pulled, and zero remoisturizing breaks throughout the day. Even when I pulled on my lashes (out of habit), I found they were not as easily dislodged as they were a day or two prior.
I look forward to seeing my eyelashes grow even more now that I can stop ripping them out. Plus, nothing’s worse than pulling on lashes or rubbing eyes when you take the time to apply eyeliner and mascara. Ouch.
Image Credit: Cover, 1.