There’s nothing more heart-melting than a perfect, round baby face with long, beautiful eyelashes. Eyelashes are very important to us. They help keep foreign objects out of our eyes, and they enhance our natural beauty.
Babies’ eyelashes are just as important, but they may not be visible at first. If you’re concerned that your baby doesn’t have eyelashes yet and are wondering when do babies’ eyelashes grow or do eyelashes grow early or late, we have all the answers for you.
Read on to learn more about baby eyelashes and what you can expect as your baby grows.
Are Babies Born with Eyelashes?
A baby’s eyelashes start to grow in the mother’s womb during pregnancy, just like the hair on their head. Eyelashes start to grow around 20 weeks of gestation, and continue to grow through birth and afterwards. It is common for babies to be born without eyelashes, though, and is not a cause for concern unless your doctor says so.
Newborn eyelashes are often very light in color and very fine, so they will not always be visible or prominent the first few months. Often a newborn’s eyelashes will fall out soon after birth.
Lashes don’t only look good; they have very important functions. They keep dirt, debris, and bacteria out of our eyes as they assist with eyelids opening and closing to protect the eyes. They also have lubricating ducts that give our eyes a tear bath, which helps keep our eyes clean.
When Do Babies’ Eyelashes Grow?
If your baby is born without eyelashes, or very fine eyelashes, you may be wondering when do babies’ eyelashes grow to full length. In a healthy baby, eyelashes will start to grow by 1-2 months of age. Most often baby’s eyelashes will be full length in a couple of months, following the human eyelash growth cycle.
Premature babies will most often follow the growth cycle of full-term babies, so you shouldn’t have to worry that your preemie doesn’t have eyelashes. As with any baby, if lashes don’t grow by a few months of age, check with your doctor to see if there’s an underlying issue. Boys and girls with no eyelashes may have a medical condition that prevents hair growth.
When Do Bottom Eyelashes Grow on Babies?
When your baby’s bottom eyelashes grow depends on genetics. Some babies are born with long thick bottom eyelashes, and some are not. Even if your child is born with no bottom eyelashes, they will most likely grow in over time.
Bottom eyelashes are half of top eyelashes. That means that if a baby has 100 lash hairs on top, they will only have 50 on the bottom. The lower number makes it harder for bottom lashes to be seen, but over time they will grow just as the upper lashes will grow.
What Color are Babies’ Eyelashes?
Infant eyelashes come in all different colors, just like the hair on a baby’s head. If your baby has blonde hair their eyelashes will likely be very light in color. If they have dark hair, their eyelashes and eyebrows may be dark from the beginning, or they could start out light in color and darken over time.
How Fast Do Eyelashes Grow?
Eyelashes are very similar to the hair on our heads. They are mainly made out of proteins with a little water, and they are rooted in the eyelids. They receive their nourishment from follicles. They are very much alive.
They go through a growing phase for about 45 days, then a 3-week phase where they stop growing, and then a shedding phase. After the shedding phase new hairs are regenerated and grow again.
Baby eyelash growth is the same as adult eyelash growth. Eyelashes go through four stages in their life cycle. They are called Anagen, Catagen, Telogen, and Exogen.
The Anagen phase is when the eyelash grows, and is the most important phase. The anagen phase lasts around 35-45 days, and at least 35% of your eyelashes are going through this development at once.
The Catagen phase happens once the eyelash has reached a certain length. At this phase the hair goes through a transition in which the hair follicles start to shrink.
In the Tologen phase the eyelash is resting. This phase usually lasts around 85-100 days, and nearly half of your eyelashes are going through it at once. During the resting phase the new eyelash starts to grow underneath the old eyelash.
And finally during the Exogen phase the hair sheds. The new baby eyelash that has been growing underneath pushes the old hair out and takes its place.
Do Babies’ Eyelashes Stop Growing?
As stated above, babies’ eyelashes follow the same growth pattern as adult eyelashes. Once their eyelashes start growing they will not stop as long as there is no underlying condition that could prevent hair growth.
If your baby’s eyelashes stop growing and fall out, seek professional advice. Otherwise, they will grow to a certain length and not grow any longer.
How Long Can Baby Eyelashes Grow?
Do all babies have long eyelashes and will it be different by gender? By right, girls and boys with long eyelashes are that way because of their parents. How long your baby’s eyelashes grow and how thick depends largely on genetics.
If long eyelashes run in your family, chances are your baby, regardless whether a boy or a girl, will share the same long, beautiful eyelashes. If not, your baby will likely have short eyelashes. The average eyelash length is around 10 mm for adults. Babies’ eyelashes can be that long, but they can also be shorter than adult eyelashes, given that they are smaller people.
But what do long eyelashes mean? Usually, babies or people with long lashes tend to be more attractive according to general perception. Interestingly, there are cases of people having extra-long eyelashes, around 12mm, and this could be due to special genetical condition known as trichomegaly.
Why Do Eyelashes Stop Growing?
Eyelashes stop growing because of the growth cycle. Once a lash has reached its full length it will stop growing and make room for a new growth underneath.
Does Cutting Your Eyelashes Make Them Grow Longer?
No, cutting eyelashes does not make them grow longer. Trimming eyelashes to make them grow is dangerous, especially for babies. Eyelashes help keep babies’ eyes clean and free of infections, so it’s never a good idea to trim them.
It’s also dangerous to use cutting implements around a baby’s eyes. Don’t use serums or creams on babies’ eyelashes either, as they are not safe for their health. Just be patient and avoid the overparenting tendency; baby’s eyelashes will grow over time. Also remember that eyelash length is genetic. Babies with long eyelashes have parents with long eyelashes, so if you don’t have long prominent eyelashes your baby most likely won’t either.
Should I Worry If My Baby Has No Eyelashes or Eyebrows?
There are many things to worry about when you have a baby – from resolving milk allergies to being alarmed about weird poop colors or frowning over the effects of breastfeeding while you’re sick – and we always want to make sure they are safe and healthy. The littlest things can set us worrying, often with no cause.
If your baby has no eyelashes or eyebrows in the first few months there’s likely no cause to worry. Some babies’ hair is so light and fine that it’s hard to see. And some newborns don’t grow hair right away.
If the lack of hair growth continues past a few months, you should talk to your doctor. Sometimes babies are born without hair due to a disease the mother had when pregnant. Hormone imbalance can lead to madarosis, a condition that causes a baby to lose all of their hair. This condition can be treated, and it can also be permanent. Don’t jump to conclusions if your baby is taking their time growing their hair, though. Sometimes hair growth just takes longer for some children.
If your newborn baby doesn’t have eyelashes, make sure to keep the environment free of dust and cover baby’s eyes in direct sunlight. Eyelashes help keep dust and other small particles out of babies’ eyes, and they help warn babies when something is near their eyes. Keep dangerous items away from your baby, and don’t clean near your baby to avoid cleaning products and dust being blown into their eyes.
Tips on How to Protect Your Baby’s Eyelashes
Worried about your child not having lashes yet? Here are some tips for parents to help protect baby’s eyes as you wait for those pretty eyelashes to grow eventually.
- Don’t use serums or salves on baby’s eyelashes. They are not designed for babies and can be dangerous.
- Babies often pull at their eyelashes to self-sooth, as a way to relieve stress like teething pain. If this is happening too frequently, or if your baby is doing it while they are happy, talk to your doctor.
- If you’re wondering how to get eyelashes out of baby’s eye, don’t use your fingernail or any other sharp object. If your baby has an eyelash in their eye, hold baby’s eye open and gently flush with lukewarm water until the eyelash is eventually dislodged. If the eyelash is lodged under the upper eyelid, gently pull the top eyelid down over the lower eyelid to help remove the eyelash. You can also use a moist handkerchief to gently wipe out the eyelash in baby’s eye. If none of these tips work and baby’s eye is getting irritated, see your doctor.
- Protect your baby’s eyes when you’re outside or in a dusty area with some goggles.
Conclusion
Even though eyelashes are incredibly important, and long, luscious lashes on a baby are the most perfect thing in the world, remember not to get too worried about your child if their lashes aren’t growing right away.
It’s normal for eyelashes to take a little while to grow in, and depending on genetics it could be early or take longer than you think. With a little time and patience, your baby’s eyelashes will be the talk of the town.
Moms and dads, when did your baby get their eyelashes? Was it right away, or later in their childhood? Do they have long eyelashes or shorter eyelashes? Let us know your stories! Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.
—
