The new male trend that hurts the eyes – Liberation
A week of past and on Tiktok, a new trend has already pointed out. This time, everything is in the name: « Conservative Guys Cutting Eyelashes », literally « conservative guys cutting off the eyelashes ». The concept is simple: men film themselves on Tiktok, most of them in the United States and Turkey, shaving the eyelashes that are too long or too curved to appear more virile.
« This movement is part of a context where, for several years, masculinist circles have invaded networks to glorify virility: it goes through going to the gym, eating proteins or having the square jaw. This trend is only one more means ”, explain Release The doctor in neuroscience and sexologist Aurore Malet-Karas. In this representation of society, the eyelashes represent the female attribute par excellence and men, the real ones, must at all costs get rid of it if they want to be even a bit more male.
« This belief is all the more amplified with makeup », she said. Women engage in increasingly highlighting the eyes and by extension, their eyelashes. According to the American site The Insight Partnersthe global mascara market today weighs $ 6.32 billion (5.81 million euros) and is expected to reach $ 7.82 billion (7.19 billion euros) by 2032. According to all these « conservative guys », shaving the eyelashes thus appears as a completely viable and supposed option to move away from this apparent femininity.
Beyond its political dimension, this gesture has certain significant risks for eye health. Obviously, approaching a pair of scissors or a razor in the eyes is very dangerous. « This can damage the cornea and make it more vulnerable to infections », observe for Liberty Laurence Desjardins, former ophthalmologist. Likewise the eyelashes are not there only to make it beautiful: “They protect the eyes from dust, dirt, fine particles. Without them, the risk of infections also increases. ”
In another register, the eyelashes are a protection for the eyes against the sun’s rays. Shaving them therefore increases in a certain way « The risk of eye cancer and the development of cataracts », adds Laurence Desjardins. A Study published in 2022 By academics in Switzerland has shown that eyelashes reduce UV rays received on the cornea of approximately 12 to 24 %.
And even if the mascus would like to overcome these risks for their health, just like the hairs, the eyelashes repel naturally, after 6 to 12 weeks.
