Is There Such a Thing As Permanent Eyelash Extensions?

You may have heard individual lash extensions described as permanent in the past. So in that sense, yes they’re real: You can purchase lashes called “permanent lash extensions” and walk out of the salon with lash enhancements on your eyes.

However, the name is misleading because “permanent eyelash extensions” are not permanent. Let’s repeat for emphasis: there is no such thing as lash extensions that are actually permanent. So, why would lash companies misrepresent their product? 

Not Even Your Natural Lashes Are Permanent 

One reason eyelash extensions can’t be permanent is that your natural eyelashes regularly fall out as a part of their natural growth cycle. When the natural lashes fall away at the end of the cycle, the lash extensions must fall away too. 

On average, it takes 90 days for your lashes to complete a full growth cycle. Each of your lashes will be at a different place in the cycle, so all of your lashes don’t fall out at once. 

The lash cycle has three phases: Anagen for growth, catagen for maintenance, and telogen for release. Since your natural lashes are constantly refreshing, your lash extensions must too. 

So What Are “Permanent Lash Extensions” Really? 

A better name for Permanent Eyelash Extensions is Semi-Permanent Lash Extensions. This name is more accurate, and many salons already use it. 

There is no difference between permanent and semi-permanent extensions; they are both only semi-permanent. These extensions will last about six to eight weeks on average with proper care. Some salons may boast longer wear times. 

Semi-permanent eyelash extensions are the extensions one would usually get from a lash technician at a salon. They’re typically synthetic lashes that come as individual fibers or in lash fans, which are then adhered to your natural lashes.

Semi-permanent salon lashes effectively give their wearer longer and fuller-looking lashes. An experienced stylist can help the wearer achieve any look, from big glam to a natural look. To wear these lashes for longer than six weeks, some people replace lashes with infills. 

Infills refill the gaps in your lashes with fresh extensions. Infill appointments often cost between $50 and 250, and you don’t even get a new, full set. One-hour infill appointments for those wanting to prolong their lashes’ wear time are recommended every two to four weeks. 

To remove semi-permanent lashes, lash technicians recommend seeing a professional lash tech for assistance to ensure you don’t damage your natural lashes in the process. However, exposing the bond to oils, like baby oil or coconut oil, will break down the bond at the lash line and release the lash. 

You can use a cotton swab to carefully brush oil through the lash line, being careful not to snag and tug the lashes. Since these extensions are not reusable anyway, it doesn’t matter if they get oily.

As long as you take care of your lashes and eye area after seeing a qualified lash tech, semi-permanent lashes are generally safe. Good hygiene and no undue tugging are unlikely to make your natural eyelashes fall out, though some wearers report adverse effects such as natural lash loss from the adhesive. 

However, if your semi-permanent lashes are applied incorrectly, it increases your risk of semi-permanent natural lash loss. 

Other Types of Lash Extensions

DIY Lash Extension 

There are so many great things about DIY lash extensions: the cost, the convenience, and the longevity of the lashes are just the first things that come to mind. As the name suggests, DIY lash extensions are at-home lash extensions. 

These are different from strip lashes because they mimic the style and weight of salon lashes. Across brands, they’re generally less expensive than lash appointments since you’re not paying for the technician’s time or office space.

Lashify’s DIY lash extensions, Gossamers, can give anyone fuller, longer lash looks without the trip to the salon. Plus, Lashify’s bond, Whisper Light, is actually good for your natural lashes: it forms a non-curing cushion of protection full of biotin around your natural lashes to prevent unnatural fallout — all that and it can still keep your Gossamers in place for 10 whole days on a single application! 

Grab a Control Kit (that’s our lash starter kit!) and find out just how quick and easy it can be to become your own lash stylist! With DIY lashes, you’re not beholden to appointments, wait times, or any funky in-between times; you can change up your look whenever it pleases you. 

If it’s a Friday night and you decide to switch out your classic lash extensions for some eye-catching volume lashes at the last minute, it’s your party, and you can do what you want to! No need for mascara anymore, since Gossamers are so easy to apply and remove.

Strip Lashes 

Strip lashes are false lashes in a single band of lash fibers. Since they don’t come ready to wear, they come one-size-fits-all (which is always a lie), they need to be measured and cut to the length of your lash line. 

They can be applied with tweezers and lash glue. While there are certainly some high-end brands of strip lashes, most don’t look terribly natural because it can be hard to perfectly imitate the curve of your eye when everyone’s eyes are different. 

Many find strip lashes to be heavy and difficult to apply. Beware, many toxic lash glues are on the market, so keep an eye out for harmful ingredients like formaldehyde and cyanoacrylate. 

Magnetic Lashes

Magnetic false eyelashes are a type of strip lash, but they use a different means of adhesive. Some brands are slightly more reusable than others. Brands that utilize magnetic eyeliner are just as single-use as strip lash brands that use traditional lash glue. 

Brands that use a pair of lashes with magnetic spines are reusable for a handful more times, but their lifespan is still less than that of Lashify’s Gossamers. The lashes that come in one pair per eye and magnet together are fairly new, and many of these styles are poorly reviewed for feeling heavy and looking unnatural. However, they’re certainly much safer than traditional lash glue. 

More Permanent Solutions

Lash Lift

A lash lift is a chemical process that should only be administered by a well-trained professional esthetician. The strong chemicals in a lash lift solution, which is similar to a perming solution, cause your lashes to curl upward — it’s basically a perm for your lashes. And would you trust just anyone to perm your hair? Likely not! If you see a DIY lash lift kit for sale, RUN away. 

Note that the FDA does not officially “approve” any chemical procedures for curling eyelashes. Since the chemicals are so harsh, ask your esthetician to perform a patch test to check for adverse reactions, if they don’t require one already. If you have sensitive skin, lash lifts are probably not for you. 

However, lash lifts are a very low-maintenance, high-impact solution in the right, professional hands. Lash lifts can last six to eight weeks, just like semi-permanent extensions, because of the lash growth cycle. 

The permed lashes will fall out, fresh ones will grow back, and it will be time for another treatment. Treatments can cost about $150 to $200 per session, which is cheaper than lash extension, but still not exactly budget-friendly. 

Lash Serums

Lash serums play the long game. They’re super concentrated, liquid vitamins for your eyelashes that may help them grow fuller over time. The best lash serums are formulated to stimulate growth and reinforce lash health by stimulating the lash follicles and hydrating the lashes. 

Always read the ingredients before you buy anything that goes on your skin. From cleansers to eye creams to lash serums, a conscientious skincare routine can do wonders for the overall health of your eye area. Here are the good ingredients to “add to cart”: Keratin, Biotin, vitamin B5, castor oil, peptides, pumpkin seed extract, hyaluronic acid, collagen, and ceramides. 

Eyelash Transplant Surgery

The treatment with immediate results and truly permanent results is Eyelash Transplant surgery, also called eyelash implants. What is that? It’s just like a hair transplant. 

A surgeon will take hair from another place on your body, usually the back of the head, and transplant it to your lash line, upper, lower, or both. Board-certified surgeons must perform this procedure, but it's generally considered safe and effective. 

It’s a somewhat extreme length just to achieve more aesthetically pleasing lashes. This procedure is recommended for those who have experienced trichotillomania or trauma to the eye area, such as burns, avulsions, or severe infections. 

There are a few downsides to this enhancement, though. First, the cost: this surgery is rarely covered by insurance and costs between $2,500 to $6,000 on average. Second, since the new hair is another form of body hair, it won’t experience the same growth cycle as natural lashes, it will just keep growing. 

Therefore, the new “lashes” will need constant regular maintenance, like trimming and sculpting. The lashes may be permanent, but so is the aftercare. Finally, there are all of the regular downsides of surgery, like pain, bleeding, swelling, and risk of infection. 

So How Can I Have Lash Extensions for the Longest Time Possible?

Your best bet is to pick a reusable lash. Better still, a lash that will maintain its glamor wear after wear. Gossamers, Lashify’s DIY lash extensions, totally fit the bill. You can get nearly two weeks on a single application and apply them over and over again. 

A single Gossamer lash cluster can last over a year with proper care. Since they last longer, in a sense, Gossamers are closer to permanent lashes than so-called permanent lash extensions are. And they’re more affordable too? Say less! 

Sources: 

Eyelash Transplant Surgery: Pros, Cons, and Cost | Healthline

How long do eyelash extensions last? | Oprah Daily

Know the Risks of Eyebrow and Eyelash Enhancement | American Academy of Ophthalmology

Why You Need an Eyelash Serum | Forbes

Curious About Eyelash Extensions? Here’s What You Should Know | New York Times