Why Do I Pull My Eyelashes Out And How To Stop?

Pulling out your own eyelashes is a condition called trichotillomania. It is a recognized mental health disorder, not a bad habit or a sign of weakness, and it usually starts as a way to relieve tension or boredom. The pulling is often automatic, meaning it happens without full awareness. Understanding what drives the urge is the first real step toward managing it.

Why Do I Pull My Eyelashes Out?

Trichotillomania is classified as an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder in the DSM-5, the standard diagnostic manual used by clinicians in the United States. It involves repeated pulling of hair from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or other body areas.

For most people, the pulling is not random. It serves a purpose, even if that purpose is unconscious.

Two patterns tend to show up:

• Focused pulling: You pull in response to tension, anxiety, or a specific urge. The pulling brings a sense of relief or release afterward.
• Automatic pulling: You pull without noticing, often while watching TV, reading, or lying in bed. You may only realize it when you see the hairs in your hand or notice a bare patch.

Many people experience both patterns at different times.

Research points to differences in how the brain processes reward and habit. The basal ganglia, a set of structures deep in the brain involved in habit formation, appear to play a role. So does the way the brain regulates serotonin and dopamine. This does not mean something is “broken.” It means the brain’s habit and reward circuits are wired in a way that makes pulling feel reinforcing.

There is also a strong genetic component. Trichotillomania tends to run in families. If a close relative has it or has another body-focused repetitive behavior like skin picking or nail biting, your risk is higher.

It is not caused by poor hygiene, allergies, or an eye problem. It is not attention-seeking. And it is not something you can simply decide to stop.

Is Pulling Your Eyelashes a Sign of Anxiety or Something Else?

Anxiety often makes trichotillomania worse, but it is not the root cause. The two conditions frequently occur together, which can make it hard to tell them apart.

What the evidence shows:

• Many people with trichotillomania also have an anxiety disorder, depression, or both.
• Pulling episodes often increase during stressful periods.
• But treating the anxiety alone usually does not stop the pulling.

Trichotillomania can also overlap with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder, and skin-picking disorder. These conditions share features but are diagnosed separately.

Some people pull because of a sensory trigger. A hair that feels “wrong” — coarse, out of place, or a different texture — creates an urge to remove it. This is sometimes called a sensory-affective subtype.

If you are pulling your eyelashes, it is worth being evaluated by a mental health professional who understands body-focused repetitive behaviors. A general therapist without that background may not recognize the condition or know how to treat it.

How Do I Stop Pulling My Eyelashes?

There is no single method that works for everyone. The most studied approach is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy called habit reversal training (HRT), often combined with other strategies.

What HRT involves:

• Awareness training: Learning to notice the exact moment the urge begins, including the physical sensations, thoughts, and situations that trigger it.
• Competing response: Doing something physically incompatible with pulling when the urge hits — like clenching your fists, sitting on your hands, or squeezing a stress ball.
• Stimulus control: Changing your environment to make pulling harder. This might mean wearing gloves, keeping your hands busy, or covering mirrors.

HRT has the strongest evidence base for trichotillomania among psychological treatments. Some studies also support acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as helpful additions, though the research is smaller.

Medications are sometimes used. N-acetylcysteine, an over-the-counter supplement, has shown some benefit in small trials, but results are mixed and it is not an FDA-approved treatment for trichotillomania. Some clinicians prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), though the evidence for their effectiveness specifically in trichotillomania is weaker than for OCD. Other medications have been studied with limited and inconsistent results.

No medication is currently approved by the FDA specifically for trichotillomania. This is an important gap to understand. If a clinician recommends medication, it is being used off-label.

What does not work: Willpower alone. Telling yourself to stop, punishing yourself, or hiding it from everyone tends to make the cycle worse by adding shame.

What Triggers Eyelash Pulling Episodes?

Triggers fall into a few broad categories. Identifying yours is a core part of treatment.

Emotional triggers: Stress, boredom, loneliness, frustration, and even excitement can set off pulling. The urge often builds until you pull, then briefly subsides.

Physical triggers: The sensation of a specific hair. Feeling for a hair that is coarser, thicker, or a different length than the others. Some people describe a building tension that only resolves when the hair is removed.

Situational triggers: Quiet, sedentary activities — watching TV, driving, reading, scrolling on your phone, lying in bed. These are times when your hands are free and your attention is elsewhere.

Visual triggers: Seeing your eyelashes in a mirror, noticing a gap, or feeling an uneven lash line.

Keeping a simple log for a week or two can help you spot patterns. Note when the urge hits, what you were doing, how you felt, and whether the pulling was focused or automatic. This is not about judgment. It is about gathering information your therapist can use.

Can Eyelashes Grow Back After Pulling?

In most cases, yes. Eyelashes typically grow back within weeks to a few months if the hair follicle has not been permanently damaged.

The eyelash growth cycle is short compared to scalp hair. Each lash grows for a few weeks, rests, then falls out naturally. This means regrowth is usually visible relatively quickly — often within a few weeks — though it may take longer for a full, even lash line to return.

Repeated pulling over a long period can damage the follicle. In some cases, this leads to permanent hair loss. The risk increases with years of pulling and with pulling that damages the follicle itself. This is one reason early treatment matters.

Other possible complications from eyelash pulling include:

• Blepharitis — inflammation of the eyelid margin
• Skin infections from repeated trauma
• Ingrown lashes that grow back abnormally
• Eye irritation or corneal scratches from broken hairs

If you notice redness, swelling, pain, or changes in your vision, see a doctor. Those are not typical trichotillomania symptoms and need separate evaluation.

When Should You Get Help for Eyelash Pulling?

You should consider professional help if the pulling causes distress, interferes with your daily life, or leads to noticeable hair loss you want to stop.

That said, not everyone who pulls a few lashes needs treatment. Some people pull occasionally during stressful periods and stop on their own. The line between a mild habit and a disorder is drawn by distress and impairment, not by the number of hairs pulled.

Signs it may be time to seek help:

• You have noticeable gaps or bare patches on your eyelids
• You feel ashamed, embarrassed, or avoid social situations because of it
• You have tried to stop on your own and cannot
• The pulling takes up significant time or mental energy
• You have pulled to the point of bleeding, pain, or infection
• You also pull from your scalp, eyebrows, or other areas

Start with a mental health professional who has experience with body-focused repetitive behaviors. If you are not sure where to look, a primary care doctor can refer you. The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors is a nonprofit that maintains a directory of providers and offers resources, though availability varies by region.

Treatment takes time. HRT typically involves several months of regular sessions. Progress is not linear. Setbacks are common and do not mean treatment is failing.

One thing that helps more than most people expect: reducing shame. Trichotillomania thrives in secrecy. Talking about it openly with a therapist, a trusted friend, or a support group can loosen its grip. The goal is not perfection. It is understanding the pattern well enough to interrupt it more often than not.