The words “eyelash allergy” send shivers down the spine of any lash technician. And for good reason too. Once a client develops one, you essentially lose them, especially if most of your work revolves around eyelash extensions.
It’s unfortunate, but the comfort and safety of your customers should always be a priority. When one of them calls you crying after a lash appointment because they think they might be allergic, you need to arm yourself with the information to best help them.
What is eyelash allergy?
When someone develops an allergic reaction to their eyelash extensions, the culprit is most often cyanoacrylate, which is the key ingredient in any eyelash extension glue. It is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory system. Despite what some companies claim, there are no hypoallergenic adhesives on the market right now, which means there are no alternatives that could 100% prevent allergies.
Unfortunately, if someone is allergic to this chemical compound, then they will not be able to get eyelash extensions. In addition, the allergy to eyelash glue is not always there. Your customer could be fine one day and end up developing a reaction on their second, third or even twenty-fifth visit.
Is it an eyelash allergy or something else?
First of all, you should always refer your client to their doctor to get properly diagnosed if they experience any type of reaction. Meanwhile, you should also be familiar with what could be causing them problems.
For example, if it’s allergy season, they may just have allergic reactions completely unrelated to their eyelashes in response to pollen and other irritants in the air. Another culprit can be a reaction to the glue fumes or even a chemical burn from the glue due to improper lash pad placement during application.
Whatever the case may be, your client’s health and comfort is your first priority. If you or they suspect they might be allergic, help them as much as you can, but also make sure they see a doctor to make sure they’re definitely not allergic.
What can you do to reduce the discomfort?
While there really isn’t much we can do as technicians to reverse eyelash allergy, we can make sure other issues that could be mistaken for an allergy are eliminated. If glue fumes are the problem, make sure the room you are working in is very well ventilated. It may not completely eliminate fumes, but it’s a step forward.
As for reducing the fumes of the glue, placing an open jar of it Anti-Allergy Gel (Buy on Amazon US) it is very effective.
Anti-allergy gel traps fumes (and cyanoacrylate) in this jelly-like jar before they reach the eyes and nostrils.
Of course, there are low-fume options, so if you know in advance that a client is sensitive to glue fumes, be sure to only use those and keep your salon stocked.
When it comes to preventing chemical burns, they are easily preventable. You just have to be very careful about the placement of the pads. Always place your pads 0.5-1mm from the waterline.
They should never touch the waterline or glands. This way you can safely secure the lower lashes and keep your client’s eyes safe. The patch will not touch any gland or eyeball and the chance of chemical burns is much less.
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Now that you have all of this information in your arsenal, you can breathe easy and make lash magic in your studio knowing that you can keep your clients safe. Eyelash allergy is something we have to accept as inevitable for some of our customers.
If it happens, your job is to provide whatever care you can for the customer. They may no longer be able to get eyelash extensions, but you can help them take care of their natural lashes. Everyone deserves to be pampered, whether they have an eyelash allergy or not!
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