Some people believe that crying often can help your eyelashes grow. The idea that crying make your eyelashes longer has become popular, but is there any medical proof behind it? Here’s what happens to your lashes when you cry.
Does crying help your eyelashes grow?
There is no proof that crying make your eyelashes grow. Tears can keep your eyes wet and may make your lashes look darker or thicker for a short time, but they don’t help lashes grow. Eyelash growth happens in the hair roots, and crying does not affect them. Some people think tears make your eyelashes grow because lashes look longer after crying, but this is just how they appear when wet. Tears are mostly water, salt, and small proteins. These do not help hair grow. So, even if crying feels good sometimes, it won’t make your eyelashes longer.
What happens to your eyelashes when you cry?
When you cry, your eyelashes get soaked in tears, which can make them look longer or fuller for a short time. This leads some people to believe that tears make your eyelashes longer. In truth, the change is only temporary. The moisture from tears may give lashes a darker, shinier look, but it doesn’t help them grow. Tears mostly clean the eye surface and have no effect on the hair roots that control eyelash growth. So while crying changes how your lashes look, it doesn’t change how they grow.
How does moisture impact eyelash condition and growth?
Moisture from tears can keep eyelashes soft and prevent them from drying out, but it doesn’t lead to growth. Some believe that tears help eyelashes grow, yet the moisture only affects the surface. Tears make your eyelashes look smoother and healthier for a short time, but they do not reach the hair roots where growth happens. Crying make your eyelashes grow is a popular idea, but moisture alone isn’t enough to make lashes grow longer or thicker.
Can over-crying damage eyelashes instead?
While some think crying make your eyelashes grow, too much crying can actually do the opposite. Constant rubbing of the eyes, wiping away tears, or pulling at lashes can weaken the hair and cause breakage or shedding. Tears alone don’t harm lashes, but the physical actions that come with crying might. So even if tears help eyelashes grow in appearance for a moment, frequent crying may damage the lashes over time.
Myths vs. Facts: Crying and Eyelash Length
Myth: Crying Make Your Eyelashes Grow Longer Over Time
Many believe that regular crying make your eyelashes grow, but this isn’t true. Lash growth is controlled by the follicle under the skin, not by the presence of tears. While lashes may look longer after crying due to clumping and moisture, the effect is only temporary. Crying does not send any growth signal to lash roots. There is no evidence in medical studies to show that tears trigger eyelash growth cycles. So, while the lashes may appear longer or darker after crying, this is just an illusion caused by wetness—not actual growth.
Fact: Tears Can Make Eyelashes Look Thicker for a Short Time
Tears make your eyelashes look fuller or longer right after crying, but the effect does not last. The moisture causes lashes to stick together and reflect more light, making them stand out. This can give the false impression that tears help eyelashes grow. In reality, this is a surface-level change. The lash follicle, which controls actual growth, stays unaffected by tears. This visual difference fades as the lashes dry and return to normal. So while crying may briefly change lash appearance, it doesn’t make them grow or become permanently longer.
Myth: Tears Contain Nutrients That Stimulate Lash Growth
It’s often said that tears help eyelashes grow because they contain proteins and enzymes. While tears do have small amounts of these substances, they are not made to support hair growth. Their job is to protect the eye, clean the surface, and kill bacteria—not nourish lashes. Hair growth needs blood flow and nutrients at the follicle level, not surface moisture. The idea that tears make your eyelashes grow due to nutrients is misleading. No known ingredient in tears has been proven to cause lash growth or strengthen the follicle.
What the Science Really Says
Crying may change how your eyelashes look for a short time, but it does not help them grow longer or thicker. The idea that tears help or make your eyelashes grow has no medical support. What you see after crying is only a temporary effect caused by moisture and light reflection. Real eyelash growth depends on healthy follicles, not tears. If you’re trying to regrow eyelashes after loss or damage, focus on proper care, a balanced diet, and safe lash products—not tears. Emotional release is healthy, but it won’t give you longer lashes.