Buckle up for this recent men’s grooming trend. Essentially, men have been trimming their eyelashes to appear more “manly.”

TikTok has several examples of this trend; you’ll see men showing how they do it, often using trimmers or scissors.

Really? #plankton#Eyelashes#cut#shave#fyp#viral

If someone wants to feel more gender-affirmed with shorter eyelashes, that’s certainly their prerogative. At the same time, how have long eyelashes come to be perceived as inherently more feminine? And why would it be a bad thing to exhibit a trait that’s perceived as feminine?

From a health standpoint, eye doctors have concerns. “Trimming your eyelashes is not at all recommended,” said ophthalmologist Dr. Ashley Hayden.

She and other doctors share their concerns below.

First, why do these men associate long eyelashes with femininity?

Before we dive into the harms, we have to discuss the elephant in the room: What’s so “bad” or “unmasculine” about something as simple (and frankly, attractive) as longer eyelashes? Especially to the extent that men feel they need to put a pair of scissors or a trimmer near their eyes?

Essentially, it comes down to cultural norms, gender expectations and social........

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