False eyelashes la Cheryl Cole can damage your real ones
Women curl them, tint them, perm them and coat them in layers of mascara to achieve the perfect look.
But even that is not enough.
It seems we are now addicted to glueing layers of fake eyelashes to our lids in order to replicate the celebrity look of Cheryl Cole and the stars of Strictly Come Dancing.
High street stores Debenhams, Boots and Superdrug have all reported booming sales of synthetic lashes.
Lash perfection: But using false eyelashes like Cheryl Cole (left) and Nancy Dell'Olio can damage your real ones
But experts warned last night there are dangers from overuse and now wearing double layers of the lashes which has become the trend.
Hair restoration surgeon Dr Bessam Farjo said he had treated patients who were left with gaps in their lashes due to overuse of the synthetic lashes.
He said: I have seen people who haveused them extensively, or all the time, or for long periods of time, and they have lost lashes or a certain number of lashes to the point where they have to keep wearing the false lashes or they have come in and asked can it be rectify surgically?
Not everybody is the same but they do have the potential to cause damage if you persistently wear them all the time, with double layers, or dont remove them properly and eventually the weight might affect them.
'The glue used can create tension andcan pull out the natural lashes when remo! ved. I w ould advise caution. If you use them gently, take them off, dont wear them all the time, it will be fine.
'But there is potential for causing damage but it can vary from per to person because not everyones lashes or hair is as vulnerable as the next person.
And the hair expert said those of us who are getting on in years are more vulnerable to damage than younger girls.
He said: It can be an issue if you are older because your eyelashes grow differently or are not as vital. Its mainly a genetic thing some people have better eyelashes and some dont.
That is another reason why some people wear the false eyelashes in the first place.
Despite the fact they have been around for years, it seems false lashes, which are a relatively cheap way of creating a dramatic look, are more popular than ever.
But the glue which bonds the lash strips to the eyelid can cause irritation if the lashes are slept in andthe glue is not removed properly.
Dr Farjo added: Most of the time if you damage your hair or the eyelashes, the body will recover. If you stop using whatever is causing the damage then the eyelashes can recoverand grow.
But if you have caused permanent damage and there is a gap in the eyelash, it is possible to surgically plant hairs there.
You can take hairs from other parts of the body, most commonly they are taken from the back of the head or behind the ear.
You can then transplant the hairs one at a time, very carefully into the eyelid. But there are problems with that.
The glue which bonds the lash strips to the eyelid can cause irritation if the lashes are slept in andthe glue is not removed properly
Superdrug, who sell more than four million pairs of false eyelashes every year, say they are seeing women of all ages buying into the trend.
Sara Wolverson, Superdrug director ofbeauty sa! id: Look ing at sales patterns over the past few years it is easy to see the growth of lashes for key occasions and this year the start of Strictly has become a key marker for the start of the winter party season. Similarly we see a growth in the latest X Factor trend. Customers are always striving to get their hands on the next big trend.
Mark Taylor, of lash makers, eye CANDY said they had seen a massive year on year growth of 100 per cent in the past three years.
He said: The false lash category has been one of the biggest growth areas in the beauty market. This phenomenal growth can be attributed to a requirement for quick fix glamour and the continuing obsession with celebrity culture, as women are continuing to emulate the look of their favourite celebrities.
'Thishas also affected what type of lash sells best.
The growing popularity of shows such as X Factor has led to consumers opting to wear a fuller lash look than in previous years. Our best-selling lash styles are now our 60s Volumise in 004 and 015 compared to our Naturalise Individual Strip Lashes from a couple of years ago.
The double-lash look is also a trend that continues to dominate the market, with many companies now producing a double-lash strip lash as opposed to the need for consumers to wear two pairs of single lashes.'
Debenhams reported similar sales with an overall 42 per cent rise on purchases of false lashes across the UK and the regions with the highestsales being in the midlands at more than 55 per cent and the south eastat 51 per cent.
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