Science Journal

Does Trimming Make Eyelashes Grow Longer?

I have a friend who has a baby daughter. I noticed that her baby's eyelashes are long. I told my friend what I have noticed and she retorted that she trimmed her baby's lashes which she believed that cause of her long lashes. I remembered what I heard a long time ago that trimming eyelashes can make it grow longer is a myth. So I told her it is a myth then she reacted violently. She denied it and insisted it is real. I am skeptical so I searched for it. 

And damn, I was right. It is a big myth. Because if that would be true then all people mostly women would not need to buy false eyelashes, they would just trim it and let it grow longer indefinitely. And maybe someone can attain having natural eyelashes that are longer than the average male's dick. Anyway, this is what I learned.

Each hair has a life cycle but each type of hair have their own different lifespan -- different amount of time and at a different speed. All hair undergo three phases. The first phase, Anagen. At the base of the follicle, the blood flow increased to feed oxygen to specialized stem cells. These cells rapidly divide and produce keratinocytes which form at the root of the hair. As the mass of keratinocytes expands and push toward the skin surface, like all living things they begin to die. Then, it releases a protein, keratin which holds the strand of hair together. Therefore, the visible part of our hair is entirely dead which explains the reason why we feel no pain when the barber cut our hair, which we might regret later. Every month, the hair grow one and a quarter centimeters but varies on its location. The hair on scalp grows 2-6 years; eyebrows, lashes and body hair grows 30-45 days. It is our genetics that can lengthen or shorten the anagen phases in certain hair types. Hairs get their instructions from stem cells in the skin. 

Next phase, Catagen that lasts about 2 weeks. The blood supply at the bottom of the follicle cut off. Therefore, suppressing the production of new keratinocytes. But the existing hair is continuously pushed over closer to the surface.

Lastly but not the least, Telogen or Resting phase. The follicle remains dormant for 1-4 months. When they reached their lifespan, the follicle dilates to emancipate the hair from our head or any location in our body, or in simple term, it sheds and starts the anagen phase again. So it is natural to have one hundred or less hair falling. Do not believe in any shampoo commercials that it is an inconvenience and you must buy their product to reduce the number of your falling hair. They were just persuading you to give your hard-earned money for their unnecessary products.

But sadly, I did not yet tell my friend what I have researched because we did not yet meet physically. Though I can chat with her online, I prefer to see the reaction of hearing me debunking the myth she strongly believed.