Red Eyes + Eyelash Extensions: How To Deal With Them
The eyes are a delicate and sensitive area, so as a lash artist, it is your job to make sure that you take care of your client’s eyes! Sometimes, you may run into red eyes after doing lash extensions on a client! Why does this happen? Well, red eyes are usually caused by either an allergic reaction, low-quality lash extension primer, harsh or old lash glue, or even poor salon hygiene. Your job as a lash artist is to foresee the potential issues and proactively care for them! Here are a few tips on how to deal with red eyes:
Providing Immediate Relief
If your client is complaining of irritation or burning while you’re doing their lash set or after, this is the time to comfort and reassure them! Let them know that you can help them, and then get them a cool compress that they can apply. Although it will not provide them with long-lasting relief, it’ll at least help to calm their nerves and allow their eyes to start to adjust/heal.
Short Term Care
It may take several hours or even days for red eyes to heal after the initial irritation. Let your client know that they can take Benadryl to help reduce their allergic reaction, and to continue apply a cold, CLEAN compress every few hours. Let them also know to be sure to wash their lashes at least once a day with an approved lash extension cleanser in order to mitigate potential eye infections while they are healing!
Seek Help From A Professional
In most cases, allergy eye drops, cold compresses, Benadryl, and topical creams should resolve the clients red eyes. However, if the red eyes persist longer than two to three days or for extreme allergic reactions, the client should seek the help of a professional. Check in on your client and see if they were able to speak to their doctor, and at that point, you may offer them a complimentary lash removal to prevent further eye irritation.
Take Responsibility
Your client’s health and wellbeing should be your biggest priority when applying eyelash extensions. It is a great honor to have the opportunity to enhance the natural beauty of women with eyelash extensions. Nevertheless, this opportunity comes with great responsibility.
While allergic reactions can happen, it’s important to apply appropriate preventive and safety measures. This means confirming if the client has any allergies or sensitivities to your adhesives. In addition, it is important to properly clean your tools and work area between clients to prevent cross-contamination.