Skincare trends come and go, but for many men, assessing these different trends puts them in uncharted territory. The explosive growth of men’s skincare products and the concomitant advertising pitches, combined with the available array of social media platforms, has made it especially difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Few of these trends are genuinely dangerous, but there are exceptions to the rule. One is the ongoing skincare trend that has younger men shaving their eyelashes to appear more masculine. Eyelash trimming is truly bewildering in a variety of ways, so we decided to do a deeper dive into how it started, what the risks are, and how different experts feel about it.
Why young men are shaving their eyelashes
Not surprisingly, TikTok seems to be a driving force in this particular trend. Definitions of masculinity are currently in flux, and some of the videos and photos showing eyelash shaving are borderline terrifying.
“Eyelashes do more than frame the face,” said Jovan Figueroa, Director of MOC/Man of Culture Lead Ambassador for STMNT Grooming Goods. “They protect your eyes, from blocking irritants to managing light and moisture. Grooming trends may come and go — eyebrows, beards, lashes — but true masculinity isn’t about erasing what defines you. It’s about what’s left, not what’s shaved away.”
Nevertheless, the trend also has roots in both male and female grooming and mating rituals. Many women spend countless hours and dollars trying to grow their lashes and make them look longer, and some men are going in the opposite direction to avoid being labeled as effeminate.
The backlash to eyelash trimming
While healthcare and skincare experts just roll their eyes collectively at some TikTok trends, this one has inspired a sharp reaction. Ophthalmologists are leading the charge to try to shut this trend down, and a lot of what they’re saying is based on some very sound medical logic.
First and foremost, eyelashes provide protection. They act as safety barriers to keep irritants from entering the eye, and some of these irritants can lead to serious abrasions. Eyelash trimming can make it tougher to remove debris, and it can also make it harder for your eyes to produce tears, which is essential to proper vision, especially over the long haul.
Finally, there’s the role of sunlight in all of this. Dermatologist have been emphasizing the importance of using sunscreen on a near-daily basis, and it makes no sense to be using an SPF of 30 or more while simultaneously making your eyes vulnerable to sun damage.
If you’re looking for even more reasons to avoid this trend, consider the fact that eyelashes don’t necessarily grow back the same way other body hair does. Regrowth can be slow or uneven, which means this move can easily backfire when you discover that your genetics don’t lend themselves to restoring your original length.
More medical reasons to avoid eyelash trimming
Finally, consider some medical implications that come with some fancy terminology. If you’ve ever had conjunctivitis, i.e., “pink eye,” you already know that it’s no fun at all, and eyelash trimming increases the risk for this unpleasant condition, which can take days to heal. Blepharitis is the medical term for eye inflammation, and the sound of that word alone should make you want to avoid the condition.
You may even end up with ingrown eyelashes, and experience that’s just as ugly as it sounds. It generally comes with irritation, and the more severe cases involve corneal abrasions or even blurred vision that can’t be corrected. Taking on these risks isn’t masculine, so these few medical words to the wise should suffice.
Barbers are caught in the middle
While some of these men are doing homemade trims on their own, many are asking their barbers to do it for them. This can be problematic, according to Michael di Gregorio, who goes by the moniker Primo the Barber.
“In my opinion, shaving your eyelashes to look more masculine contradicts the true essence of masculinity and what it means to be a real man,” he offered. “Additionally, your eyelashes serve as a natural protection against debris, so shaving them off can increase the risk of irritation or infection in your eye.”
Some women find long eyelashes in men very attractive, and there are dozens of comments in the video threads to that effect. This isn’t a trend that will last forever, though, and hopefully it will pass before a lot of men suffer significant or potentially irreversible eye damage.
