understanding the allergy.
The technical term for the allergy is contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction in response to exposure to an allergen or a chemical irritant. With lash extensions, contact dermatitis causes both eyelids to become swollen within 12-24 hours of application… more swollen than if you spent the night crying. Unlike atopic dermatitis, there is not necessarily a predisposition to allergic disease, and with lash adhesive, there isn’t a way to tell if a person is allergic beforehand, even with patch testing. (For further study, see Patch Testing below.) It is not an infection, it isn’t the eyeball itself reacting, and it is not contagious. If you are allergic, the allergy will present after three exposures. These can be over any amount of time, including months or years. It can even present in a client after long repeated use, as it can develop at any time, not unlike many allergies. The point is that it does not present after the first or second exposure. If you have had lashes only applied once or twice, you may still be allergic. The reason it takes at least 3 exposures isn’t fully understood. The idea is that since you are exposed to such a tiny amount each time, it takes a while for the body to have an allergic response.
The allergy is the skin reacting to the solvent in the cyanoacrylate which is the main adhesive ingredient in lash adhesive. The fumes from the adhesive can be irritating if a client opens their eyes during the application, but it is not the fumes (or vapors) we are allergic to.
Deep Dive into Cyanoacrylate
Cyanoacrylates have been around since the early 1940s and were initially discovered to work really well in closing and containing soldiers’ wounds on the battlefield. Today, they exist as a family of strong, fast-acting adhesives used in the industrial, medical, and household realms. In the most simple terms, there are industrial cyanoacrylates and cosmetic cyanoacrylates. The most common type of cyanoacrylates used in the beauty industry have been made incredibly safe for use with lash extensions.
Cyanoacrylate adhesive is composed of an acrylic resin. The main ingredient in cyanoacrylate adhesives is cyanoacrylate itself, which is an acrylic monomer that transforms - in a process called anionic polymerization - to a flexible, plastic state after being exposed to moisture and curing. Once cured, it becomes inert and is impenetrable to water - waterproof.
Cyanoacrylates can only bond with a natural lash when there is moisture present which is why I perform a lash bath and use a sensitive saline solution at the end of every service, to speed up that process and wash away any remaining solvent, as well as any residual makeup, dirt or debris.
If you like to get nerdy, the process of curing is actually really interesting. When any amount of moisture is present, the molecules in the cyanoacrylate glue will react with the moisture on the lash and in the air to form tight chains in between the natural lash and the extension. In the bottle, it exists as single molecules in a liquid form. Once those single molecules make contact with water - which essentially happens once it leaves the bottle since there is a thin layer of moisture on most surfaces - the process of anionic polymerization begins. When it comes into contact with this moisture (or hydrolyzed/hydroxide ions), it links up to form long polymer chains that cure into a hard, yet flexible solid. This material, bonding together your natural lash and the extension, is virtually weightless when applied expertly, as a tiny yet powerful amount is used causing your extensions to bond and last.
For the Allergic - What Next?
If you have the allergy, your skin is allergic to the solvent in the cyanoacrylate. Some people believe we can be allergic to either the cyanoacrylate or the carbon black pigment used to make the adhesive black. However, as of this writing, there is no study found outlining a carbon black allergy. Because of this, any lash adhesive (including sensitive and clear) that is used on a client who is allergic will produce some degree of allergy. I have seen minimal to severe reactions - it just depends on your allergy level. Roughly 3-5% of the population is allergic. All “knowing” doctors agree with this percentage and Dermabond has released a study about this.
The good news is, there IS relief and you can continue getting lash extensions when following the proper protocol. I am not a doctor and can not give medical advice however, I can recommend what has been successful throughout my years of lashing and dealing with the allergy. If you are allergic, I will advise you to contact your doctor or an Ophthalmologist / Optometrist while you are having the reaction who can prescribe a topical steroid, typically Dexamethasone ointment. Local to Nashville, I refer clients to Dr. Brian S. Biesman, who is well-versed with the allergy. I’d suggest you tell your doctor you think you have contact dermatitis on your eyelids as a result of exposure to the cyanoacrylate in lash adhesive. Dexamethasone is safe for the eye area. Do not use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone ointment or cream. These are not safe for the eye area and can/will cause cataracts.
The best results in using Dexamethasone have been seen when the ointment is applied the night before the appointment, and immediately after. I rinse clients eyes, give a good lash bath, and apply it directly after. Some clients can use it for one to three additional days, depending on how severe their reaction is. There has been additional relief seen when a client also takes an antihistamine the night before or day-of the appointment as well however, there haven’t been any studies proving this can help mitigate contact dermatitis.
It’s also important to note that typically the allergy doesn’t go away, however in certain clients it has been known to lesson overtime, for reasons unknown. Possibly just your body getting into formation with what your mind wants to do, but more likely it’s just your body getting used to it. ;-)
Regarding Patch Testing
As stated above, an allergy is not immediately known upon first exposure. Because it takes repeated exposure, the only way to do a patch test is to apply a few extensions to each eye a month apart, three separate times. This, however, is not foolproof because the tiny amount of adhesive used to do this would unlikely cause any reaction unless the client was severely allergic. Patch testing on the arm or behind the ear is also not advised. The skin on our eyelids is different than the skin on the rest of our body. It is much more fragile and anticipated to be easily irritated. A patch test in another area would likely provide a false-negative result.
Practices to Avoid if you have the Allergy
It is not advised to have the lashes removed after an allergic reaction. This is because a solvent is needed to breakdown and dissolve the bond. In essence, the solvent melts the adhesive and can cause a secondary reaction. It will get worse before it gets better. If a client can’t access or doesn’t want to use a prescribed topical steroid, of course a removal will not be denied.
Here are some other options to consider:
You can let the allergy run its course. The swelling may get worse, but it will dissipate. Note that a reaction will still occur at every fill. If this option is desired, it is recommended to wash lashes twice daily.
Lashes can be physically removed without the use of a solvent however, this is not recommended. It is uncomfortable to have new lashes removed manually because the adhesive bond is extremely strong after a new set or fill. The eyelid skin is also swollen from the allergy making it especially difficult to provide a comfortable removal process.
With that said, a prescription will always be the first recommendation.