It started as a quick gesture in front of the mirror: scissors, a couple of snips, and done.
On TikTok, it became a trend among young men who trim or shave their eyelashes, believing that this gives them a more discreet, more “masculine” look. A video exposing the practice reached 19.8 million views. But behind the gesture lies something that almost no one stops to consider: eyelashes are not merely aesthetic; they are a biological barrier. They block dust, sweat, and intense light, activate the blink reflex, and help distribute meibum, the substance that keeps the eye from drying out.
Surgeon Gary Linkov warned bluntly: cutting them leaves the eyes exposed to styes, conjunctivitis, and inflammation of the cornea. And when the hair grows back, the short, stiff tips can rub directly against the eyeball. All for a look that, according to experts, does not even change the appearance that much.