Quick answer
If an eyelash curler pulled out lashes, they will usually grow back because a one-off pull normally leaves the follicles able to regrow. Expect early regrowth over several weeks and a fuller result within a few months, not overnight. Stop curling the area, keep it free from extra pulling, and check the eye itself for pain or vision changes.
Check your eye before worrying about the gap
The missing lashes can look alarming, but eye symptoms matter more. Look without touching the lid; a painless gap with normal vision is usually a hair-regrowth problem.
Get urgent medical help after the accident if you have severe eye pain, a change in vision, light sensitivity, or blood from the eye. The NHS also flags being unable to open or move the eye. An injury that is not improving after 24 hours needs urgent advice.
Don't rub the eye to check it; rinse with clean water if mascara or loose debris entered it. Follow the product label, and leave out contact lenses and eye makeup until an injured or irritated eye feels normal.
Did the lashes break or come out?
Short, uneven stubs suggest broken shafts, while a clean-looking bare strip suggests whole lashes were pulled. Both can recover, but broken lashes often look better sooner because some shaft remains.
Pulling out a lash does not usually remove the follicle under the skin, so it can start another hair cycle. Deep injury, scarring, or repeated pulling makes regrowth less certain.
You don't need to inspect each fallen lash for a “root.” That won't reliably predict what the follicle will do. Track the eyelid instead.
How long eyelash regrowth takes
Eyelashes grow more slowly and for less time than scalp hair. A clinical review by Aumond and Bitton reports growth of about 0.12 to 0.14 millimetres per day. The active growth phase lasts about four to ten weeks.
That doesn't mean every pulled lash returns in four weeks because each follicle was at a different point in its cycle. Some may start a new hair soon, while others may take longer to restart.
A useful expectation is:
- During the first few weeks, the gap may look unchanged or show fine new tips.
- Over one to two months, more short lashes may become visible.
- Within a few months, most one-off curler loss should look much less obvious.
All About Vision gives the same broad answer: lashes pulled out by a curler usually return within a few months. Exact timing depends on the growth stage, genetics, and whether the lid was injured. No honest source can promise a full lash line by a certain date.
What to do while your lashes grow back
Give the area a break
Stop using a manual or heated curler because it can catch short regrowth before it has enough length. Wait until the lid feels normal and new lashes sit fully inside the padded clamp.
Avoid extensions and glued false lashes while the lid is sore, cut, red, or swollen. The FDA notes that lash adhesives can cause irritation, allergy, or another eye-area injury. If the eye itself was hurt, the NHS advises no eye makeup until it recovers.
Clean gently
Wash your hands before touching the eye area, then remove makeup without tugging at the remaining lashes. Don't tweeze uneven stubs or pull new hairs to make both eyes match.
Once the lid is fully calm, clean eye makeup can hide the gap while it grows. A thin line along the upper lashes is lower-contact than attaching fibres to the injured area. Remove it slowly at night.
Take one photo each week
Use the same room, light, distance, and bare-lash angle because daily mirror checks make slow growth hard to see. Mascara, shadows, and a close phone lens can also make a small gap look different.
Keep those photos private if you prefer because you don't need public feedback or a face rating to judge whether short lashes are returning.
Can a serum or oil make them grow faster?
Most over-the-counter lash serums have not been shown to speed recovery after a curler accident, though some may condition surviving hair. Conditioning a shaft is different from starting a new growth cycle.
Castor oil has no strong evidence for hair growth. A 2022 review found weaker evidence for improving hair shine, but no strong support for growth. Putting a thick oil near an irritated eye also adds a product where simple care is safer.
Prescription bimatoprost can increase eyelash growth, but All About Vision notes that visible results often take at least two months. It can irritate the eye or darken eyelid skin, so discuss it with an eye doctor instead of buying unverified medication online.
For a single accident, time and protection are usually the sensible first plan. Starting several serums at once makes irritation harder to trace.
How to prevent the curler pulling lashes again
Retire the curler if its hinge sticks, the frame is bent, or the pad is split or deeply grooved. A worn pad can let lashes meet a hard edge. Replacement pads must match the tool.
Use the next curler on clean, dry lashes before mascara. Revlon's instructions place mascara after curling and advise checking that no lashes are caught unevenly.
At a steady mirror:
- Open the curler fully before placing it around the lashes.
- Keep eyelid skin outside the clamp.
- Squeeze gently instead of yanking or twisting.
- Release the handles completely before moving the tool away.
- Wipe the curler clean and dry after use.
Don't curl in a moving car, train, or bus. The FDA warns that a sudden movement while using an eye tool can scratch the cornea. Stop if the curler pinches, pulls, or fails to open smoothly.
When an eye doctor should check the lashes
Arrange an eye examination if no new lashes appear after a few months, or the bare area is growing. Get checked sooner if the lid becomes red, flaky, swollen, painful, or crusted. Lash loss on both eyes, eyebrow loss, or scalp hair loss also points beyond one curler accident.
Scarring is uncommon after a simple pull, but it changes the outlook. An optometrist or ophthalmologist can inspect the lid margin and check for inflammation, infection, or follicle damage.
FAQ
Will eyelashes grow back after being pulled out by a curler?
Usually, yes, because a one-time pull normally leaves the follicle able to produce another lash. Regrowth is less predictable when the eyelid was deeply cut, scarred, or repeatedly injured.
Do broken eyelashes grow back faster than pulled lashes?
They often look restored sooner because a broken lash still has part of its shaft. A pulled lash must be replaced from the follicle, and that follicle may not be in an active growth phase yet.
Should I use castor oil on the lash gap?
Castor oil has not been shown to speed eyelash growth. It may add shine to existing hair, but that does not rebuild a pulled lash. Avoid putting it on a sore lid or into the eye.
Can I wear mascara while my lashes grow back?
Wait if the eye or lid is sore, cut, red, or swollen. Once it is fully comfortable, clean mascara can be used gently. Remove it without rubbing, and stop if it causes pain or irritation.
