Buckle up for this recent men’s grooming trend. Essentially, men have been trimming their eyelashes to appear more “manly.”

TikTok has several examples of this trend; you’ll see men showing how they do it, often using trimmers or scissors. 

If someone wants to feel more gender-affirmed with shorter eyelashes, that’s certainly their prerogative. At the same time, how have long eyelashes come to be perceived as inherently more feminine? And why would it be a bad thing to exhibit a trait that’s perceived as feminine?

From a health standpoint, eye doctors have concerns. “Trimming your eyelashes is not at all recommended,” said ophthalmologist Dr. Ashley Hayden.

She and other doctors share their concerns below.

First, why do these men associate long eyelashes with femininity? 

Before we dive into the harms, we have to discuss the elephant in the room: What’s so “bad” or “unmasculine” about something as simple (and frankly, attractive) as longer eyelashes? Especially to the extent that men feel they need to put a pair of scissors or a trimmer near their eyes?

Essentially, it comes down to cultural norms, gender expectations and social trends.  

“The emphasis on the eyes as a prominent feminine feature has led to practices aimed at enhancing eyelashes, such as making them longer and darker, to increase their prominence,” said Dr. Christina Geiselhart, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, who specialises in men’s mental health, self-esteem, gender and coping skills.

“The focus is often linked to social interactions and dating rituals, where women, in particular, use eye makeup to attract others.”

The adjectives used in eye makeup marketing, she continued — like “beautiful” and “gorgeous” — often carry a feminine connotation. Rarely (if ever) will you hear long eyelashes being described as “handsome,” which is used more in masculine contexts.

But men, before you grab your scissors, make sure you see what you’re risking.

Warning: Trimming your eyelashes can lead to painful accidents

Perhaps the most obvious issue with putting something sharp near your eyes — even and especially when they’re closed — is that it is dangerous, even if you’re careful.

“Primarily, it’s not wise to get sharp objects, like scissors, close to your eye,” Hayden said. “It is hazardous and very easy to damage the delicate surface of your eye, the cornea.”

A corneal abrasion can be painful, at best, and can also cause complications (such as keratitis, corneal ulcers and inflammation).

And those consequences are more common than you might think, even if you watch yourself do it.

“If you are trying to do this while looking in the mirror, it is almost impossible to coordinate your hand movements with the flipped image of your eyelashes, creating the perfect setup for an accident,” said Dr. Thomas Stokkermans, senior medical reviewer at All About Vision.

Also, let’s be real: The eye is not a part of the body you can just play around with.

You also risk getting irritants into your eyes

Eyelashes have a purpose: They act as “dusters” or safety barriers. By cutting them — even just a “short” trim — you risk your eyes coming into contact with dust, dirt and other irritants, which can also cause abrasions (and be wildly uncomfortable).

“Eyelashes are meant to block foreign objects such as dust, debris and splashes in the eye,” said Dr. Victoria Williams, an oculoplastic surgeon and neuro-ophthalmologist in Michigan and the owner of Williams Eye Speciality Clinic. “It blocks germs and bacteria from getting in your eye and prevents eye infections.”

This can be especially worrisome depending on where you spend your time. “This can be a serious problem, for example, in construction, landscaping and specific factory jobs,” Stokkermans said.

Further, if you cut your eyelashes, it’ll be harder to get the irritant out of your eyes, since blinking (and letting your eye tear up from that) is your best bet.

It can also disrupt your tear film

Eyelashes also affect tear film, which is a thin layer of fluid that covers the eye and protects it from irritants. When that tear film is disrupted, Hayden said, you may experience dry eyes or tearing. 

“Especially for those of us who use computers and digital devices a lot (which is just about everyone nowadays), keeping your eyes from drying out is crucial,” Stokkermans added. “With shorter lashes, the eyes will dry out even faster, potentially affecting your ability to do your job.”

It can make you more susceptible to other eye injuries

Have you ever seen something coming at your face and flinched or closed your eyes? Like a baby’s finger, pet’s paw or flying insect? That’s not necessarily just because you literally saw it coming. 

“The eyelashes sense an object as it is about to hit the eye’s surface, triggering a blink reflex,” Stokkermans explained. “Trimmed eyelashes will give the eyes less time to close, making you more likely to have a corneal abrasion or another eye injury.”

Last but not least, it lessens your eyes’ protection from the sun

A perhaps-unexpected benefit of eyelashes is the sun protection they provide.

“Lashes protect from harmful light rays and reduce sensitivity to bright light,” Stokkermans said. 

A 2022 study in Computers in Biology and Medicine found that eyelashes reduce ultraviolet light received by the cornea by about 12-24%.

That’s important, both in the short term and long term. “Trimming the lashes reduces this protection and increases the risk of cancers in the eye and eyelids and of developing cataracts,” Stokkermans added. 

In fact, up to 10% of cataracts worldwide may be caused by overexposure to UV radiation — and you can take steps to prevent that from happening.

“It’s important to remember that your lashes play a practical role in your eye health,” Hayden said. “The more you interrupt the natural life of your lashes, the worse it will be for your eyes.”