Cindy Lewis is still recovering from an eyelash dying session gone terribly wrong. Photo: BNPS.CO.UK
But it just happened to one woman.
As reported by the Daily Mail, 26 year-old Cindy Lewis visited a salon in England's Bournemouth, Dorset to have her lashes tinted before leaving for vacation – a procedure she has done many times before.
Instantly, Lewis's eyes swelled up and turned red and teary, and she ended up at the hospital with prescriptions for anaesthetic drops and steroids to bring down the severe swelling.
But the situation only got worse.
A week later, Lewis woke up with her eyes glued shut. "It was agony and really, really itchy. I bathed them in warm water and eventually pried them open before going straight to the doctors," Lewis told the Daily Mail.
So how could such a dramatic reaction happen to someone who has had lash tinting done before without having any issues?
"She may have been using a serum or cream or had a treatment that made her skin more sensitive. If you're using a retinoid – even if it's not in the eye area – or have recent sun exposure or any other treatments, you should wait at least 3 to 4 days before getting anything done. And if you feel increased sensitivity during a procedure – like burning or itching – you should stop instead of tolerating discomfort," advises New York Dermatologist Dr. Doris Day.
And Dr. Day has some good news for Lewis.
"Most likely it will heal without any scarring. Once the rash is cleared, she can have patch testing on her back to see if she is truly allergic to the product or if it was an irritation reaction," says Day.
Either way, we don't think Ms. Lewis will be tinting her lashes again anytime soon.