Eyelash color, like the hair on the rest of the body, is primarily determined by pigments. It is a common occurrence for eyelashes to undergo a change in color, specifically turning white, which can often lead to questions about its cause.
How Eyelashes Get Their Color
Eyelash color comes from melanin, a natural pigment produced by specialized cells called melanocytes. These melanocytes reside within the hair follicles of the eyelashes. Two main types of melanin contribute to hair color: eumelanin (black/brown) and pheomelanin (yellow/red). The combination and quantity of these types determine the natural eyelash color. Melanin is contained within the cortex of the lash fiber, similar to other body hairs.
Age-Related Whitening
The most common reason eyelashes turn white is the natural process of aging. As people age, melanocytes within hair follicles become less active and eventually cease melanin production. This decline in pigment causes hair, including eyelashes, to transition from its natural color to gray and then white. This normal physiological change affects all body hair, though eyelashes may lose color later in life compared to scalp hair.
A 2014 study found no one under 40 years old experienced white eyelashes. Its findings showed prevalence increased significantly with age, peaking between 71 and 80 years old. This demonstrates that the reduction in melanocyte function is a progressive, age-dependent phenomenon. The process of graying often begins with a few individual hairs before becoming more widespread.
Medical Conditions and Other Factors
Beyond the natural aging process, several other factors, including various medical conditions, can contribute to eyelashes turning white. One such condition is vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys melanocytes, leading to patchy loss of skin and hair color. If vitiligo affects the skin around the eyes or eyelids, it can cause the eyelashes in those areas to turn white due to the absence of melanin.
Poliosis is another condition characterized by localized patches of white or gray hair, which can appear on the scalp, eyebrows, or eyelashes. Poliosis can be present from birth or develop suddenly at any age and results from a lack of melanin in the affected hair follicles. While poliosis itself is not considered harmful, it can be associated with underlying medical conditions such as thyroid disorders or vitamin B12 deficiency.
Other factors can also contribute to eyelash whitening:
Nutritional deficiencies, like a lack of vitamin B12, can cause premature hair whitening.
Thyroid disorders, affecting hormone levels, may influence melanin production.
Certain medications (e.g., chloroquine, acitretin, imatinib, sunitinib, pazopanib) have been linked to hair depigmentation.
Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis) can disrupt hair follicles.
Trauma or inflammation to the eyelash area might affect melanocyte function.