If you are waking to find eyelashes or eyebrow hairs on your pillow the cause is very often hair shaft fracture, commonly referred to as hair breakage, rather than true hair loss. The scientific term for this process is trichoclasis which literally means ‘breaking of the hair shaft’.
We have had many people get in touch with us concerned that they are “losing” lashes or brow hairs overnight after waking up and seeing short hairs on their pillows. In the majority of cases the follicle remains healthy and these people are finding a few of the 3 to 8 lash or brow hairs that are normally shed each day as part of a normal hair growth cycle.
However, some people notice very short pieces of hair which can be suggestive of tricholasis. What is damaged is the structural integrity of the hair fibre itself.
Trichoclasis is a descriptive term to describe breakage of the hair shaft at vulnerable points. It is not a diagnosis or disease in itself. It is a pattern of damage seen on the hair shaft.
In eyelashes and eyebrows, trichoclasis most commonly arises from acquired hair shaft weakness, where the hair is formed but breaks prematurely under mechanical stress.
For both eyelashes and eyebrows the most common reason for seeing breakage is from physical and chemical stress due to eyelash extensions.
Trichorrhexis nodosa is a structural defect of the hair shaft resulting from cuticle damage. The cuticles are like overlapping tiles that surround the inner hair structure to protect it. Without this protection the inner fibres of the hair are exposed – under a microscope this looks like two brush heads that have been pushed together. This damaged area weakens the hair making it susceptible to breakage from even light friction being applied.
Both hairs are thinner than scalp hair, and area often put under more stress compared to the hair on our heads. Every time mascara is removed, especially the waterproof type, the shaft of each mascara coated lash is being exposed to friction which can dislodge or damage the cuticles. This happens almost every day for many people. Every tint exposes the hair to chemicals that can damage the hair and often these hairs are not conditioned in the same way that scalp hair commonly is.
In eyelash or eyebrow hair that has been weakened, then the friction of a pillow can break off the damaged hair – this is what is sometimes seen on the pillow in the morning.
Mechanical friction is by far the most common cause of breakage of the eyelashes and eyebrows. As stated above this is most commonly due to cosmetic treatments being applied in a salon setting, as well as the normal cleansing and removal of makeup.
In some rare occasions an increase in hair breakage could be a sign of a more systemic medical problem.
Thyroid issues are common, especially of the eyebrows, and Opti Laboratories has helped many people regrow their brows after thyroid problems.
Iron deficiency and problems due to nutritional issues are also rare causes of lash and brow breakage, but the increasing use of weight loss injections has led to this being seen more often.
There are other rarer causes but often these do not happen in isolation as they usually affect scalp hair as well.
If breakage is a concern then the intervention is logical: reduce friction. This can be done while you sleep with a silk pillow or a silk sleep mask.
Silk has a significantly lower coefficient of friction than cotton, meaning that is gives minimal fibre “grab” on fragile hair shafts. Instead of weak hairs catching on cotton or synthetic fibres, they can glide over silk instead.
A properly designed silk sleep mask helps prevent lash bending and torsion, reduce cuticle abrasion and ultimately protect your eyelashes and eyebrows.
In clinical terms, this is more than cosmetic indulgence – it is mechanical prevention.
Unlike other sleep masks, which can increase pressure and friction on the eye area and in particular on the eyebrow, our extra-large padded cups lift the mask away from your eyes for protection. The mask rests on the forehead and the cheekbone arches, leaving the eye and region under the brow untouched.
Expert sleep protection for your eyelids.
£65.00
Ideal for
✔ Protecting eyelashes and eyebrows while you sleep
✔ Luxury travellers
✔ Side sleepers
✔ Light sleepers that need complete blackout
Once any underlying medical or nutritional cause has been addressed, many people want to regrow their lashes and eyebrows.
Opti Laboratories are the eyelash and eyebrow growth experts.
Our clients include individuals recovering after:
▪️Thyroid related brow loss
▪️Chemotherapy related eyelash thinning
▪️Cosmetic over plucking
▪️Eyelash and eyebrow loss from radiotherapy
▪️Thinning eyelashes due to medications
However, we also help a lot of people that simply want longer eyelashes and thicker eyebrows too.
Based in the UK and led by a team of British doctors, we have helped thousands of clients since 2007.
We continue to innovate. Our award-winning daytime lash and brow serum, the first in the world to offer UV protection for lashes and brows, supports growth and helps protect fragile follicles during your recovery.
Most commonly due to trichoclasis caused by friction acting on structurally weak hairs, often from trichorrhexis nodosa.
No. The follicle remains healthy. Once breakage is reduced, lashes and brows usually regrow normally.
They can worsen shaft fragility, and this may be a symptom of these underlying problems, but friction remains the final trigger in most cases.
Aggressive treatments may worsen breakage. Protection and gentler care are key.
Yes. Reducing mechanical stress is one of the most effective ways to prevent trichoclasis in peri-ocular hair.
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