Personally, in all my 28 years, I’ve never looked at a man with naturally long eyelashes and thought, “Well, that’s not very manly.” Honestly, I think most people would probably agree with that. But apparently, TikTok has other ideas.
Lately, there’s been a rise in videos showing men using scissors or electric razors to trim or completely shave off their eyelashes. Some are even going so far as to cut them right down to the skin. One barber claimed on TikTok that doing this gives men a more rugged or manly look.
He then went on to say: “I personally witnessed a walk-in client who asked a barber to shave off his eyelashes. He said he didn’t like how long they were and that his wife criticized them for looking too feminine. He was even willing to pay extra.”
He wrapped up the clip by asking some big questions: “But my question to all barbers out there is: Is this service really feasible? Should it be allowed in barbershops? Would you do it if a client asked? And the million dollar question: Is it more manly to shave off your eyelashes?”
In a chat with the Huffington Post, ophthalmologist Dr. Ashley Hayden said bluntly: “Trimming your eyelashes is not at all recommended.”
She also added: “Primarily, it’s not wise to get sharp objects, like scissors, close to your eye. It is hazardous and very easy to damage the delicate surface of your eye, the cornea.”
Dr. Victoria Williams, an oculoplastic surgeon and neuro-ophthalmologist, as well as the founder of Williams Eye Speciality Clinic, explained to HuffPost: “Eyelashes are meant to block foreign objects such as dust, debris and splashes in the eye. It blocks germs and bacteria from getting in your eye and prevents eye infections.”
She also pointed out that your eyelashes help keep your eyes moist by maintaining something called the tear film—a thin layer of fluid that coats the eye and shields it from irritants. Without that protection, you might start to notice symptoms like dryness or excessive tearing.
Dr. Thomas Stokkermans, senior medical reviewer at All About Vision, broke it down like this: “The eyelashes sense an object as it is about to hit the eye’s surface, triggering a blink reflex. Trimmed eyelashes will give the eyes less time to close, making you more likely to have a corneal abrasion or another eye injury.”
And if that’s not enough, consider this your lashes also help filter out harsh sunlight and reduce your sensitivity to bright light. So cutting them off might leave your eyes more exposed than you realize.
