A WOMAN was left fuming when the eyelash extensions she got for a girls’ holiday gave her an allergic reaction so bad that she had to go to the hospital.
Gem had decided to treat herself the day before she flew out to Ibiza, getting the extensions for the very first time.
She woke up the next morning with eyes that were a “little bit red”, but noted that reaction was “expected” after the appointment.
However, by the end of her first night in Ibiza, she realised that something was wrong – when her eyes became incredibly bloodshot and swollen.
She picked off the lashes one by one – increasing the swelling even more – and woke up on the first official day of the holiday with painful-looking eyes.
“I’m seriously going to cry,” she wrote over the top of the video.
“My eye has ballooned up massive, all swollen.
“I’ve paid all this money for Ibiza and can’t leave my house… I genuinely don’t know why I bother.”
While she hoped that things would start to calm down, they ended up getting “so much worse”.
It then reached the point that Gem had to go to the hospital, where she was given an injection in her bottom.
In the caption for her video, Gem wrote: “Missed Calvin Harris & spent €200 on a hospital visit to be on steroids for the whole week… only me.”
She added hashtags including #eyelashextensionallergy #eyelashextensions #eyelashallergy #allergicreaction #ibiza.
While lots of people in the comments section asked Gem if she’d had a patch test before the appointment, one then wrote: “Lash tech here.. patch tests with lashes do nothing.
“It’s actually proven pointless to have them. You can be allergic one day and not the next.”
“Patch tests are actually optional as they’re not indicative of a reaction (small amount of glue compared to full set) and reactions are cumulative,” another wrote.
“I was getting extensions for 5 year solid then suddenly developed allergic reaction,” a third commented.
“Her glue didn’t change, think my body just said no more!”
But someone else argued: “I’m a beautician and have had allergic reactions to treatments since being fine for years.
“My point isn’t that she’s in the wrong, the salon that did the treatment is at fault, they aren’t insured to do any treatment without a patch test as no insurance would allow it.”
According to a study conducted in 2012, the reaction usually occurs when the person is allergic to the glue or tape used to attach the extensions.
In the study, researchers discovered that all the products that prompted a reaction contained formaldehyde.
Other reactions can occur to lead or benzoic acid – contained in a lot of cosmetic products.
The best idea is to ask your specialist to see the ingredients in the products they use, and avoid anything containing formaldehyde.
The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology also advise not washing the face for a few hours after having the extensions, as that can also prompt an allergic reaction in some cases.
The most common allergic reaction to eyelash extensions is allergic blepharitis – which causes irritation, redness, itching and swelling.
It can happen soon after the lashes are applied, or take a few days to appear.
And, as well as the glue itself, the vapours of the glue can also cause a reaction.
Symptoms of allergic blepharitis can last between a few hours and a few days, but may be alleviated with eye drops, cold compresses and antihistamines.
If you’re still experiencing symptoms a few days after the reaction first occurred, it’s important to seek medical attention.
Gem then returned to the post, to write: “Making it clear I don’t think my lash tech was at fault in any way.
“I just literally am the world’s unluckiest person something was bound to go wrong.”
