The market for eyelash serums is growing – but so are the risks

What about over-the-counter serums?

There are several over-the-counter lash serums available in Australia, including Lust Minerals’ “Lash & Brow Growth Serum” and Lash Rehab’s “Eyelash Growth Serum”. With Bimatoprost off the table here, most of these products contain a range of peptides, vitamins, hyaluronic acid and plant extracts like ginseng, which are said to help stimulate the lashes and improve volume.

While peptides have been shown to help support hair growth on the scalp, Sharma says there is limited evidence that they have the same effect on eyelashes.

“As an ophthalmologist, I can’t recommend a treatment for which there is insufficient evidence that it will be able to achieve the stated outcomes. The safety profile is also unclear,” she says.

Dr Vannessa Leung, a corneal specialist at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, says there’s no proof that the common ingredients in over-the-counter lash growth serums are beneficial.

Are they safe to use?

Sharma says it’s important to consider any risk, no matter how small, when applying a foreign substance into or near the eye.

“As these products are relatively new, there’s limited long-term safety data,” Sharma notes. “Some potential adverse impacts of eyelash serums … include poliosis (white patches in hair, including eyelashes) and lash ptosis and trichiasis – abnormal positioning of eyelashes, which can cause irritation and obstruct vision. In some cases, these changes cannot be reversed, even if you stop using the serums.”

Certain Subreddits suggest some Australians may try to buy Latisse or other Bimatoprost products from overseas online, essentially bypassing the TGA’s ruling. Leung strongly warns against this, noting the irreversibility of some of the potential side effects.

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“Latisse was submitted to the TGA for approval in 2013/2014, but the application was rejected for a number of reasons,” Leung says. “It was unclear how the product worked. There were also many side effects, including irreversible changes to the normal fat around the eye, leading to the appearance of sunken eyes, known as enophthalmos.”

Only 40 per cent of people had a favourable response, she says. That being said, the product was only tested for a four-month period, and once the person stopped using the product, any effects wore off.

I still want longer lashes. Are there other options?

Unfortunately, Leung says there’s no proven dietary or natural method for extending your lashes.

“There are multiple procedural options for false, extended, or stick-on lashes, but often these involve adhesives like glues. People should be aware these adhesives have a risk of allergic reactions and eye irritation. We often see patients presenting to us when the glue accidentally enters the eye and damages the surface.”

So, what’s the safest way to create the illusion of longer, fuller lashes? Sharma has one simple solution: “mascara”.

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