We all want those long, luscious, curled eyelashes. The problem is, most of us aren’t born with these naturally. Yes, life sucks occasionally. Of course, there are ways you can fake it until your eyelashes literally make it, but the number one way to achieve this look has some hidden dangers you might not be aware of.

Eyelash perming is a service many salons offer you, and it certainly will give you the required results, i.e. curled eyelashes that have the natural, long look. The thing is, in order to get that look, you need to apply chemicals to the lashes to perm them, literally like you would do with hair. It’s a little close to your eyes, right?

The lashes have the solution applied to them and they are then curled with very small rollers, which give you that glam, curled look, with results lasting for around 6-8 weeks. From that description, i.e. the length it lasts, you can understand why so many people go for it. You might not even have to wear mascara, such is the dramatic effect this procedure has.

What you might not be told about is the risks. The very real risks. Eyelash perming doesn’t carry an FDA approval, basically because using chemicals this close to your eyes is dangerous. If the procedure goes wrong, or if you have a reaction to the solution, you could run the risk of blindness.

We’ll let that sink in for a second.

Of course, by having your eyelashes permed by someone who is extremely well trained, and accredited will reduce the risk of a mishap, but nobody can ever predict how your body is going to react to any type of chemical. In addition to this, after the procedure has worn off, there is the risk of lasting damage to your eyelashes, to the point where they may become weaker and fall out easily.

If you’ve read that and decided that you don’t feel the need to put your lashes in rollers, the good news is that there are a few alternative options you could look into.

• Use a good quality mascara and use two coats, ensuring every single part of your lash is coated. There are some fantastic mascara products on the market these days, that totally eradicate the need for eyelash rollers!
• Use eyelash curlers at home. You can go for heated ones, but if you don’t feel the need to put heat near your eyes, a normal set of curlers will work well with good quality mascara
• Use fake eyelashes. Yes, adding extra volume with fake lashes may give you that upturned look that you’re after, without having to use perming solutions. Of course, you will need to use lash glue, but this isn’t quite as invasive, provided you’re super careful. You could also think about lash extensions at your local salon

If you’re still keen on the idea of lash perming, by all means follow your heart, but always ensure that you choose the right technician, and do plenty of shopping around before you make your final decision.