Pulling Out Your Eyelashes: Why It Happens and What Helps

If you keep pulling out your eyelashes, you’re far from the only one. Eyelashes are among the most common places people pull from, alongside the scalp and eyebrows. Because lash pulling is easy to hide with glasses or makeup, most people who do it never knowingly meet anyone else who does.

This guide explains why it happens, whether it’s trichotillomania, whether your lashes will grow back and how long that takes, what helps, and what to know before you buy a lash serum.

Why do people pull out their eyelashes?

People pull their lashes because it brings relief, satisfaction or calm, and the brain learns to go back to it. It isn’t vanity, attention-seeking or self-harm, and it isn’t a lack of willpower.

Researchers describe two styles of pulling, and most people do both:

Automatic pulling happens without you noticing, often while reading, studying, watching TV or lying in bed. You may only realise when you see lashes on your cheek or pillow.
Focused pulling is more intentional. A lash feels stiff, looks out of place or seems to itch, and the urge builds until you pull it. It often happens at a mirror.

Common triggers include a “stray” lash that seems to need removing, wanting both eyes to look even, tired eyes, and feelings like boredom or stress. There’s more on the two styles in our guide to focused and automatic pulling.

Shame is part of the condition too. Many people go to great lengths to hide their pulling, and hiding can make you feel more alone than you are.

Is pulling out your eyelashes trichotillomania?

It is if you pull your lashes out again and again, you’ve tried to stop or cut down, and it causes you distress or gets in the way of your life. That’s how doctors recognise trichotillomania, wherever the hair comes from.

Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behaviour (BFRB), one of a group of conditions where people repeatedly pull, pick or bite at their own hair, skin or nails. Doctors class it in the same family as OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). It usually starts around ages 10 to 13, though it can begin at any age. Our complete guide to trichotillomania covers the condition in full.

Losing a few lashes when you rub your eyes isn’t trich; lashes shed naturally every day. Other conditions can also cause lash loss. These include blepharitis (long-term inflammation along the eyelid edge), alopecia areata (where the immune system attacks hair follicles), thyroid problems, and irritation from makeup, extensions or curlers. With trich, doctors usually see patchy gaps with lashes of different lengths, often on the upper lids. You can read more about how trichotillomania differs from alopecia.

Will my eyelashes grow back, and how long does it take?

Yes, in most cases. When you pull out a lash, the follicle underneath (the tiny pocket in the skin that grows it) is usually still there, and it starts a new lash in its own time.

Each lash follicle loops through growing, resting and shedding. Most pulled lashes start the loop again.

A lash grows for around 4 to 10 weeks, rests, then falls out, and a new one starts. The whole cycle takes about 4 to 11 months. Lashes grow about 0.12 to 0.14 millimetres a day and rarely get longer than about 12 millimetres. Because every follicle is at a different point in its cycle, regrowth is uneven:

Time after you stop pulling	What you might see
First few weeks	Short, fine lashes appear here and there, sometimes lighter than usual.
Around 1 to 3 months	Many lashes reach a more normal length. The lash line still looks gappy.
Around 4 to 11 months	Resting follicles catch up and the lash line fills in more evenly.
After years of pulling	Regrowth can be slower and patchier, and a few follicles may not regrow.

These times are a guide, not a promise, and pulling a regrowing lash resets it.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that repeatedly pulling lashes can make them grow back more slowly, and in some cases not at all. Even so, many people see good regrowth after years of pulling, so it’s worth giving your lashes a chance. Our guide to whether hair grows back after trichotillomania covers the scalp and brows too.

Can pulling out eyelashes damage your eyes?

It can cause irritation and infection, though it doesn’t usually affect your eyesight directly. Lashes help keep dust and grit out of your eyes, and pulling can damage the delicate skin at the lash line.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that people who pull their lashes a lot have a higher chance of eye injury, scarring and infection. It suggests an eye ointment may help soothe the area and support regrowth; ask a doctor or pharmacist which kind to use.

What helps with eyelash pulling?

The approaches with the most research behind them combine noticing when you pull, putting barriers in the way, and giving your hands something else to do. You can start on your own, and a practitioner who understands trich can help you build a plan.

Therapy. Habit Reversal Training (HRT) teaches you to spot the warning signs before you pull and to do something else with your hands instead. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) lists it as the main talking therapy for trichotillomania. A 2026 review of around 30 trials found that approaches built on habit reversal had the strongest support. Our guide to Habit Reversal Training explains how it works.

Barriers. These slow your fingers down and give you a moment to notice:

Glasses or sunglasses at home during risky times, such as reading or evenings on the sofa.
Plasters on your pulling fingertips, or thin cotton gloves, so it’s hard to grip a single lash.
Tweezers kept out of reach if they’re part of your pulling.
A normal mirror instead of a magnifying one, and time limits at the mirror.

Put something in front of your eyes, give your hands a job, and make the mirror less of a draw.

Swaps for your hands. Pick something that feels close to what pulling gives you. If you like the texture of a stiff lash, try a textured fidget or the bristles of a soft brush. If you like the tug, try a stretchy fidget. Keep one wherever you tend to pull.

Notice the urge to “even things up”. Matching one eye to the other is a common pull that leads to more. Name the urge, put your glasses on, and step away from the mirror.

Some people find that eyeliner or false lashes make them less likely to touch their lash line. Our guide to makeup, microblading and false lashes goes through the options. For a step-by-step plan for the moment an urge hits, see how to stop pulling your hair. If you also pull your brows, read our guide to pulling out eyebrows.

Are lash serums safe?

Not all of them. Serums containing prostaglandin analogues (ingredients that make lashes grow for longer) can work, but they have real side effects, and European safety experts have concluded they aren’t safe in cosmetics.

Prescription lash medicine. Bimatoprost is a prostaglandin analogue first used in glaucoma eye drops. A 0.03% version is approved in the US, on prescription, to grow longer, thicker, darker lashes. Its prescribing information lists itchy or red eyes and darkening of the eyelid skin. It also warns that it can darken the coloured part of the eye (the iris), probably permanently, and has been linked to loss of fat around the eyes. Lashes go back to how they were when you stop. It can interfere with glaucoma treatment, so tell your doctor about any eye drops you use.

Cosmetic serums. Some beauty serums contain similar ingredients, with names like isopropyl cloprostenate or methylamido-dihydro-noralfaprostal. In February 2026 the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that none of these can be considered safe in lash and brow products. France’s national health safety agency has warned they can permanently change eye colour, and the Australian and New Zealand ophthalmologists’ college has warned of side effects that may not go away. Serums without these ingredients are mostly conditioners.

A serum also doesn’t touch the urge to pull, so regrown lashes may be pulled again. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before using any lash-growth product, especially if you use eye drops, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18.

What if my child is pulling out their eyelashes?

Stay calm and kind, and avoid scolding them. Children pull for the same reasons adults do, and scolding usually adds shame and makes pulling worse. If their eyes look red, sore or swollen, take them to a doctor or optometrist.

We have a separate guide for parents on a child pulling out their eyelashes. The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania is about understanding what your child is going through.

When should I get help?

Get support if pulling out your eyelashes is causing you distress, taking up a lot of your time, or affecting your life, work, school or relationships, or if you’ve tried self-help for a few months without much change. You don’t need to wait until it’s “bad enough”.

Many doctors and therapists have never worked with someone who pulls. Everyone in our directory has told us they understand trichotillomania and already help people who pull, in person or online. You can search the directory for someone who understands hair pulling. Our guide to finding someone who understands trich explains what to ask on a first call.

If you’re feeling very low or hopeless, please talk to someone today.

In an emergency, call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Samaritans — 116 123 (www.samaritans.org/samaritans-ireland)
Pieta — 1800 247 247 (text HELP to 51444) (www.pieta.ie)
Text About It — text HELLO to 50808

Questions people ask

Is it bad to pull out your eyelashes?

An occasional lash isn’t harmful. Pulling often can irritate and damage the skin of your eyelids, raises the chance of eye infection, and over years can slow regrowth. It isn’t something to feel ashamed of, but it is worth getting support if you can’t stop.

Can pulling out your eyelashes affect your eyesight?

Pulling itself doesn’t usually change your vision. Lashes protect your eyes from dust and grit, though, so with fewer of them your eyes may feel more irritated. See an optometrist or doctor straight away if your vision changes or your eye becomes red, painful or swollen.

Why do I pull my eyelashes when I’m tired or reading?

Tired, quiet or focused moments are when automatic pulling slips in, because your hands are free and your attention is elsewhere. Many people pull while reading, studying, watching TV or lying in bed. Keeping something in your hands at those times helps.

Should I tell my optometrist or eye doctor that I pull my lashes?

Yes, if you can. It helps them tell the difference between pulling and other causes of lash loss, such as blepharitis or alopecia areata, and check your eyelids for irritation. Eye professionals see lash loss often, and you can simply say, “I pull my lashes and find it hard to stop.”

Can I wear false eyelashes or lash extensions if I pull?

Many people with trich use false lashes, lash-look eyeliner or magnetic lashes to feel more confident. Some find extensions become a new thing to pick or pull at, so try a removable option first. Keep glue away from sore lids.

Does rubbing my eyes count as trichotillomania?

No. Rubbing itchy eyes and losing the odd lash is common. Trichotillomania means pulling lashes out again and again, with noticeable lash loss and repeated attempts to stop. If rubbing is constant, an optometrist can check for allergies or blepharitis.