Four Things You Need to Know about Your Eyelashes
Aside from brushing them with mascara every morning, do you ever stop to give your eyelashes any thought? There’s actually a great deal of science behind your eyelashes that you may take for granted.
Eyelashes Serve a Real Function
Yes, eyelashes can look glamorous and beautiful, but they do serve an important purpose. Eyelashes are responsible for protecting your eyes from water, sweat, dirt, dust, and other debris that would cause irritation if trapped in your eyes. Only mammals share this trait of having eyelashes, and in many species eyelashes are very similar to whiskers. Eyelashes are strong enough to withstand all of the unwanted pollutants that they repel because they are made of 97 percent protein and 3 percent water. This makes them both flexible and durable.
Lashes Are Unique
All eyelashes are not the same. The upper lid lashes are much longer and fuller, with about 200 lashes total at any given time. However, lower lid contains smaller lashes in about half of the quantity. Even the sides and middle of the lashes are different. Not only are lashes not uniform, but they also provide a habitat for tiny mites known as demodex that eat the dead cells shed by your lashes at night. It sounds creepy, but the mites actually serve an important purpose to prevent follicles from clogging with oil, makeup, and dirt.
They Have a Short Life Span
Lashes only live about three weeks, and you probably lose between one to five lashes every single day. It can take up to eight weeks for a new lash to grow in and replace the old lash, and the cycle never stops. Age does have the ability to impact lash growth by causing lashes to thin out just like the hair on your head. Supplements like biotin can help reduce this effect of aging.
See that? Who know there was so much to learn about lashes?