The eyelash extension procedure allows the fair sex to make their eyes more expressive and give up daily makeup. But the glue used to attach artificial eyelashes can cause eye burns .
Photo 1. In the race for beauty, you should be careful. Source: Flickr (Catherine Summers)
Causes of burns
After a cosmetic procedure, there is a normal eye reaction in the form of slight redness and tearing.
However, irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye can be much stronger and qualify as a burn. The cause of injury may be:
- Unprofessionalism of the master . Excess glue or improper application can cause symptoms of eye burns. You need to be conscious about choosing a master. If you go for a procedure to a specialist who cannot show certificates for the products used for extensions and a certificate that he has the right to provide this service, then be prepared for negative consequences.
- Chemical burn from adhesive fumes . This happens if you open your eyes during the procedure or immediately after. The danger increases when using cheap, uncertified and low-quality eyelash glue.
- Presence of injury to the skin of the eyelid or conjunctiva . If glue (even high-quality one) gets on a scratch, it will most likely cause a burn. In this case, pathological manifestations will be observed on one side.
How to prevent eye burns during extensions, preventive measures
It should be noted that most eye burns (almost 95%) after eyelash extensions occur during the procedure at home. Without sufficient experience and dexterity, a woman, when performing complex manipulations of gluing artificial hairs, makes mistakes that cause chemicals to get into the eye, and, consequently, burns to the mucous membrane.
This happens even when a “home-grown cosmetologist” tries to do the procedure, practicing, for example, on his girlfriend. What can we say about the situation when a beauty glues eyelashes to herself? Here the risk of getting a chemical burn increases significantly. Therefore, without sufficient skills, you cannot take on eyelash extensions.
The cosmetologist in the salon knows about all the reasons for a possible burn, so he acts carefully. Experienced specialists do everything accurately, and at the same time, valuing their reputation, they do not use cheap and unsafe products in their work.
To protect yourself from negative consequences after extensions, you should make sure in advance of the competence of the cosmetologist, the reputation of the salon, and ask for client reviews. When getting ready for the procedure, study the extension technology, find out how long it will take, so that later you don’t rush the specialist and don’t rush yourself. You should not be shy and ask the master what materials he uses and the degree of their safety. You also need to tune in to the session, anticipate a wonderful transformation, and not expect failure.
Redness of the eyes after eyelash extensions (video):
Corneal burn. Causes and treatment (video):
Failed eyelash extensions. Consequences (video):
The extension procedure is a popular cosmetic procedure that is classified as simple. An experienced master will make eyelashes quickly and efficiently, and most importantly - without harm to health. If for some reason a chemical burn occurs during a session, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Recovery with proper treatment occurs fairly quickly. Only caring for yourself will allow you to maintain health and beauty.
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Signs of a burn
Burns to the eye during extension are only superficial - the conjunctiva, skin of the eyelid and the upper layers of the cornea of the eye are injured. Main symptoms:
- severe burning sensation;
- redness of the white of the eye and skin of the eyelid;
- tearfulness;
- pain when moving the eyeballs;
- swelling of the eyelids;
- blurred vision (with severe burns).
Depending on the area and depth of tissue damage, these symptoms can be expressed to varying degrees, and the time of treatment and recovery depends on this.
Symptoms
A chemical injury can manifest itself either a couple of hours after the extension or the next day. A burn can be recognized by the following signs:
- the occurrence of swelling on the eyelids;
- severe eye itching and burning;
- redness of the eyeball, the appearance of red spots on the mucous membrane;
- feeling of sand in the eyes;
- photophobia;
- When moving the eyelids, a cutting pain is felt.
If the listed symptoms occur, you must report the problem to the specialist, provide first aid and go to an ambulance. In the near future, you need to visit an ophthalmologist - a competent doctor will prescribe the correct treatment.
First aid rules
The eyes are a very vulnerable organ, so when the first symptoms appear, you must call an ambulance and rinse the injured eye (or both) with clean water. rinse within the first 30 minutes after signs of a burn appear. For rinsing, you can use sodium chloride at a concentration of 0.9%.
If you have drops such as “artificial” tears or saline solution, it should be dripped into the eyes to moisturize the mucous membrane.
To eliminate possible complications, the doctor will instill Dicain 0.5% eye drops to relieve pain as an emergency aid, and will remove any remaining particles of the irritating agent. Subsequent treatment depends on how severe the burn damage is.
Note! First aid is not treatment! After carrying out emergency measures, it is imperative to seek help from a doctor who will prescribe treatment.
First aid for eye burns
A burn to the eye mucosa with eyelash extension glue is considered a serious injury and therefore requires emergency care. The first priority is to eliminate contact with the chemical.
This consists of intensively washing the eyes with clean running water for at least 15 minutes. If possible, wash with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. A solution of potassium permanganate is also instilled into the eyes. The cosmetologist must remove the artificial eyelashes, because particles of the irritant - glue - remain on them.
Further actions are carried out by an experienced doctor. To relieve inflammation and pain, Taurine or other medications are instilled into the conjunctivitis sac.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is made based on the symptoms characteristic of the burn. Additionally, an ophthalmologist can conduct a test using a fluorescent eye serum: drops containing substances that glow in ultraviolet light are dropped into the eye.
If there are microdamages or ulcers on the patient’s cornea, the luminous pigment accumulates around them.
Photo 2. After a burn, it is important to check your vision. Source: Flickr (Joseph O. Holmes).
Complications
With timely intervention, 90% of cases have a positive outcome - the girl does not lose her sight. In the event that first aid was provided incorrectly or was not provided at all, as well as when the recovery process was not supervised by an ophthalmologist, complications may arise:
- Partial or complete loss of vision.
- Conjunctivitis, purulent infection.
- The eye muscles atrophy.
- The appearance of cloudiness and cataracts.
- Deformation of the eyelid line.
In such cases, you only need to contact an ophthalmologist: they will help you cope with infectious diseases and restore muscle tone. It may take several months to restore vision; for the outcome to be successful, you must listen to the doctor’s recommendations.
Treatment
The presence of a chemical burn to the eye is an indication for hospitalization . Treatment should be carried out under medical supervision.
Note! To ensure that the pathological process does not spread and the drugs have access to damaged tissues, it is necessary to remove eyelash extensions. This should be done by a master (not necessarily the same one) using a special solution - a remover. Under no circumstances should you remove them yourself.
Drug treatment
Patients with such an injury are prescribed a number of medications that promote recovery:
- anti-inflammatory and painkillers (in eye drops or injections) - ibuprofen, paracetamol, etc. They relieve inflammation and prevent its spread;
- antibiotics to prevent the development of an infectious process - Sulfacyl-sodium, Garazon, since the burn surface becomes vulnerable to pathogenic microorganisms;
- eye ointments to stimulate the regeneration process - Solcoseryl;
- when intraocular pressure increases, which is accompanied by severe arching pain, drops of Proserin , Physostigmine .
All medications prescribed by a doctor must be used on time and in strictly defined dosages.
Traditional methods as aids
As a supplement to the main treatment, you can resort to the following methods of alternative medicine:
- Eye compresses made from chamomile and calendula . First, you need to prepare an infusion of these herbs. Take 1 teaspoon of dry raw materials (chamomile, calendula or both herbs equally), pour a glass of boiling water. Let it brew for 2 hours, strain. You need to moisten a piece of gauze, folded in several layers, with the infusion and apply it to the sore eye for 20 minutes. These herbs perfectly fight inflammation, allergies, and stimulate healing.
- Grated carrot compresses . Wrap a tablespoon of ground root vegetable in gauze and apply to the eye for 10-15 minutes.
- The same compress made from crushed sea buckthorn berries .
Note! These funds are auxiliary. Do not cancel the main treatment. Before use, you should consult your doctor.
Complications after injury
If discomfort occurs during the eyelash extension procedure, you must notify the specialist.
In 90% of cases, an eye burn from eyelash glue is mild, completely healed, and does not cause serious eye problems. However, the risk of adverse consequences cannot be completely excluded. Severe damage to eye tissue, untimely and illiterate first aid, and lack of adequate therapy can cause various complications. Among them:
- thinning, ulceration of the cornea, the appearance of a spot (cataract) on its surface;
- adhesions;
- scars on the surface of the mucosa;
- inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis);
- ulcerative keratitis;
- increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma;
- cataract;
- infection of damaged tissues, purulent inflammation;
- deterioration of visual acuity;
- lagophthalmos (impaired eyelid closure);
- deformation of the eyelid, limited mobility of the eyeball.
With a deep burn of the conjunctiva and cornea, complete loss of vision is possible.
Consequences and complications
With timely and correct treatment , the likelihood of negative consequences is low . But if the doctor’s recommendations are ignored, then there is a risk of the following complications:
- the formation of adhesions between the upper and lower eyelids or between the eyelid and the cornea;
- deformation of the palpebral fissure;
- purulent inflammation of the cornea, conjunctiva, lacrimal gland;
- keratopathy - deformation and clouding of the cornea;
- decreased visual acuity.
How long does it take?
Recovery time depends on the severity of the burn .
Mild cases usually go away within three days; moderate cases require an average of a week to treat. In this case, you need to consult a doctor to prescribe new medications if there is no improvement. In moderate to severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary, as serious trauma has been caused to the cornea and mucous membrane. Recovery time can reach several weeks: it all depends on the chosen course of treatment and the condition of the visual organs after surgery.
Prevention of injury during eyelash extensions
The first step to preventing chemical burns after extensions is choosing the right specialist . Trust your eyes and eyelashes only to a professional who has the appropriate certificates and uses certified materials.
Do not be tempted by the low price of the procedure, because in this case the specialist saves on consumables, using glue and low-quality eyelashes.
If you have injury or inflammation of the tissues of the eye or eyelids, it is better to postpone the procedure until you have fully recovered.
What undesirable consequences can occur after eyelash extensions?
Most often, burn injuries occur at work, where a person interacts with chemicals and high temperatures. But going to a beauty salon can also harm your eyesight. The burn from eyelash extensions is chemical in nature. Occurs due to exposure to vapors from the glue used. Less commonly, the cause of injury is direct contact of the chemical with the cornea or mucous membranes.
In addition, problems may arise in the following cases:
- Protective patches do not fit properly or are poorly secured.
- The eyelid was damaged while fixing the patch.
- Movement of facial muscles due to conversation, active facial expressions.
- Violation of technology - strong pressure with tweezers, poor quality glue, incorrect placement of eyelashes.
- Tendency to allergies, photosensitivity, asthma.
The extension procedure should not be accompanied by itching and severe redness. But the skin of the eyelids is in contact with the master’s hands, patches, and eyelashes for a long time, so microtraumas are not excluded. Minor redness is allowed, which goes away after 30–60 minutes.
