Does crying make your eyelashes longer? Let’s look at the science. What it shows us is that there are multiple benefits of crying, including reducing pain and lubricating your eyes. Sadly, however, growing longer lashes isn’t one of them. (I think we’d all be watching The Notebook every night if that were the case.) “It is a myth that if you cry often, your eyelashes will grow longer,” says New York dermatologist Marina Peredo, MD. “When you cry, you are usually stressed and your body releases hormones like cortisol, but there’s no evidence to suggest that it will make your lashes grow longer.”
Does Crying Make Your Eyelashes Longer? We Debunk the Myth
“Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an upside to a broken heart or other sources of your tears?” says Beverly Hills, CA dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD. “Sadly there is not in this case. Lashes just look longer when they are wet.” Dr. Peredo agrees, saying that crying makes your lashes appear darker, glossier and more vibrant. “So while crying may not cause your lashes to grow, it can certainly make them appear healthier and more lustrous!”
Why Our Eyelashes Thin
“Eyelashes are specialized hairs that are meant to protect our eyes,” says Delray Beach, FL dermatologist Dr. Janet Allenby. “The length, color, density and growth cycle, which are similar to all body hair, is hormonally and genetically influenced.” Dr. Peredo adds that hormonal shifts, like those that occur as we age and during menopause, can cause eyelashes to shorten due to hormonal imbalances that affect the growth cycle of the hair follicles. “Some medical conditions like thyroid disease can also make someone lose their eyelashes, as well as their eyebrows. Certain nutritional deficiencies—zinc, biotin and iron—can cause loss and thinning of lashes, too.”
How to Make Your Lashes Grow
To truly achieve longer, fuller lashes, Dr. Shamban says “you have to rely on the tried-and-true topical liquid medications like Latisse—it’s available via prescription—to get them longer and darker, or wear lash extensions.” Dr. Allenby agrees when it comes to growing your eyelashes longer. “The only way we can modify lash quality and growth is by using topically applied ‘conditioners’ and medicines. These signal the hair follicle to stay longer in the growth phase, which allows them to thicken, darken and lengthen. I’m a huge fan of the over-the-counter conditioners like Grande Cosmetics GrandeLASH-MD, RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner and Obagi Nu-Cil, as well as prescription Latisse.”
