Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so the saying goes. Perhaps that explains why some women go to the extent of making their eyelashes catchy.
For four-year-old Dee Jhay Timbal of Anda, Bohol though, cosmetics are unnecessary as the natural color of his lashes catches a lot of attention.
The boy’s parents, Dexter Timbal and Jennifer Busbus, were initially worried that he would be teased and bullied by other children for his condition. TV show KMJS sponsored Dee Jhay’s consultation with a specialist who diagnosed his white eyelashes and birthmarks near the waist as vitiligo.
Vitiligo, common as white patches on the skin, is caused by the lack of melanin, which gives the skin its natural pigment. The dermatologist who examined Dee Jhay told KMJS that his hair follicles also lack melanin causing the boy’s lashes to be white instead of black.
Dee Jhay’s condition is harmless to his eyes, according to an ophthalmologist, relieving his parents.
In the United States, many women get eyelash extension as an alternative to mascara. In such cosmetic procedure, “a semi-permanent adhesive is used to glue individual extensions to each of your natural lashes, thus making them look more voluminous and thicker,” according to Pmuhub.com.
The extensions, which are either animal fur or synthetic fiber, last longer than mascara. Last month, waitress Haley Fetzer, 17, of Ashland, Ohio tried the fake lashes to look better on her upcoming high school prom.
Unfortunately, Fetzer got more than enhanced eyelashes. After the first session with the beautician, her eyes turned pink. When eye-whitening drops resolved the discoloration, she thought it was a minor side effect and took another lash extension session. Within two hours, her eyes turned red, New York Post reported.
Her eyes then swelled, became watery and mucus was coming out from behind the lower eyelids. Soon, the lashes started coming off and the thick mucus caked on the lashes causing her vision to blur.
The bad allergic reaction prompted Fetzer to return to the lash technician who removed the lashes and prescribed antihistamines and a lubricant to clear the mucus, according to NYP.
The red eyes that Fetzer said made her look like a zombie and forced her to stay at home as she would scare little kids subsided after five weeks.
Fetzer has vowed to “never wear false lashes or get extensions” again, NYP reported.