Why Are My Eyelashes Turning White?

Seeing a fleck of white in amongst your lashes is often just a part of growing older and even more gorgeous (have you seen Helen Mirren recently? Damn, girl). Why does this happen? Well, our hair color is controlled by a type of pigment called melanin and as we age, the amount of melanin in our hair decreases, causing our hair to turn grey and eventually white.

But aging isn’t the only reason that you might suddenly notice a white lash along that lash line.

Here, we take a look at some of the other common causes. Read on to find out more! 

Albinism 

This is an exception, as it’s not something you develop later in life. Instead, albinism is a congenital disorder in which people are born without the ability to produce sufficient quantities of melanin. This affects the amount of pigment in the skin, hair and even eyes. 

Blepharitis

An inflammation of the skin around your lashes which is usually accompanied by redness and itching but can also include whitening or shedding of lashes. 

B12 Deficiency

Premature whitening along your lash line can also be a sign that your body is running low on vitamin B12, likely caused by your gut’s inability to properly absorb it.  

What is melanin?

A natural pigment which controls the color of our skin, hair and even our eyes.

Smoking

Some recent studies have shown that smoking can damage to the cells in your hair follicles which contain melanin, leading to premature hair whitening. 

Thyroid Disorder

A thyroid disorder causes an imbalance of hormones in the body which can affect the cells which produce melanin, again leading to premature hair whitening. 

Vitiligo

A condition caused by the body’s inability to produce sufficient amounts of melanin, distinct from the natural decline due to aging, in which white patches develop on the skin in different areas of the body. When these patches develop around hair roots, for example on your scalp or along your eyebrows, the lack of melanin in these areas turns the hair white too. 

If you are concerned about any of these conditions, it’s best to speak to your doctor. It’s also worth reading our guide on: “What your lashes say about your health.” 

But remember, a gradual whitening is completely natural over the course of our lives. Luckily, if you ever want to dial up the dark and stormy, all you need is a dash of our mascara and one of our gorgeous false lashes!  

Our jet-black tubing mascara can be applied in seconds, thickening and lengthening your lashes with absolutely no smudging. Paired with a voluminous falsie, it’s the perfect way to give your lashes instant color and lift.