Can cancer patients get eyelash extensions?

NO!

Let me explain,
I had a new client this week, who had received lash extensions previously from a competitor in LA. She said "they were OK", but her lash tech bragged about catering to current and remission cancer patients.
Remission or survivors are one thing.......but current patients ?!? This alarmed me SO MUCH, that I felt obligated to call this location myself to explain to them the dangers of catering to current cancer patients receiving chemo and or radiation treatments, that could prove fatal. This is what gets a fire under my A$$! California state should have eyelash extensions as a regulated service, so things like this don't happen!

I don't normally get personal, but this hits very close to home for me.

After my best friend became ill with Leukemia, she started to lose her hair and lashes. Katie, who was also a cosmetologist, was quickly told she could not be around harsh chemicals, including formaldehyde (found in nail polishes) and ammonia(hair color) and other harsh ingredients, such as alcohol, acetone, etc. She was given directions on what she could do, use, and what to avoid, etc. But if there was one thing for certain that she wanted to keep, it was her lashes!
I mean this girl had amazing lashes naturally, so as she begun to lose them, I tried to help search for solutions. I was determined to find possibilities of maintaining and accenting her natural lashes, without false lashes, adhesives and mascara. 

Because of her, I am in this business. 

 Even Katie's natural lashes during chemo, put my natural lashes to shame! Even in the length and fullness categories! :) hehe

Just to fill you in my qualifications, I am a second generation certified lash technician educated by a lash thing (2012) and I am also licensed California cosmetologist (2010). I have a ton of knowledge, experience and research on eyelash extensions, the service, products, ingredients, and legalities of this service. 

Now unfortunately, as soon as I took the certification class, I was informed that "current chemo and  or radiation patients" are excluded and NOT to get lash extensions. 
There is too much risk for patients with no ammune systems. 
Of course I was saddened, but I wouldn't put her life at risk, and any other perspective client who was a current patient. It just lash extensions. But as interested as I was in this solution, I was glad to get the experience and knowledge. After all, knowledge is power! :)

Here are the top 5 reasons why NO LASH TECH should EVER give EYELASH EXTENSIONS to CURRENT chemo or radiation patients.

1) LASH TECHS
If a lash tech is  bragging about catering to current chemo patients, chances are she is not educated nor experienced in the science, health and safety, or licensed/certified. If they gave a patient the green light, my advise would be to run FAR FAR AWAY! Especially if any techs or businesses are using "current" chemo or radiation patients as a billboard for profit. Makes me sick thinking about it.

All advanced lash techs would decline lash services on patients, including tinting, because of there current medical problem. Reputable and high end places, give every client a "client information sheet", which asks a few questions and medical questions. Once the sheet reveals that they are a current patient, tha. The lash tech would explain why they must decline the service.
It's basically to risky with health and safety hazards since patients don't have an ammune system to fight off infections, in case anything went wrong, such as an allergy. It's also a Waste of money, considering that chemo patients will lose hair, including lashes. Lash extensions can only be applied to natural hairs, not the skin. Therefore, if there is no hair/lashes, we can not apply lash extensions. Any good lash tech would refer other options, such as falsies, etc. But they'd definitely decline until
they're client is in remission.

2) Health, Safety and Sanitation.
Because in California Lash Extensions are not a regulated service, anyone can technically be a lash tech. Anyone who is "certified" can be a complete joke. just because someone is certified, doesn't mean they are "licensed." Licensed esthetician sand cosmetologists go through 300-600 hours alone in health, safety, and sanitation, certification for eyelash extensions, only goes through 1 hour. And certified techs can learn from "certified" techs, meaning they don't have to receive am education of this service at a beauty school regulated by the state.
Feeling afraid yet? I would be.

Now, if you haven't read "great work ain't cheap, cheap work ain't great" or "certification and licensing, by state", than I suggest you read these. these will help explain he MASSIVE differences between certified techs vs licensed and certified techs, cheaper lash salons vs high end salons. Education, Etc.

Now, I've seen some lash boutiques RE-USE mascara wands, which are disposable! No matter how long you leave them in disinfectant, doesn't mean bacteria can't hide in the fibers! Something as easy as a used mascara wand being used on a client (current patient), or the tech not washing there hands, or reusing lashes from the same tray, etc. Are all reasons that are potentially putting your client & current patient at risk! They have NO ammune system! If they get sick, because of your thoughtlessness of sanitation and cleanliness, you should NOT be a lash tech, or you should review and become licensed.

TECHS: If you didn't was your hands, while applying lashes on a client who is also a current chemo patient, they could have potential of getting sick! Now your uncleanliness caused that client to get sick, they have no ammune system to fight it off.
Which in the end, if you didn't wash your hands, you could potentially kill your client.

So just DON'T DO IT!

3) Product.

Products are difficult to gauge at certain salons. most lash boutiques "beat around the bush" of who or what product they carry. again, if you haven't read "great work ain't cheap, cheap work ain't great", it'll explain the dangers of products from cheaper or unlicensed lash boutiques. 95% of the time! higher end lash product lines made in the USA, are only sold to lash techs who are certified and licensed cosmetologists and estheticians. Which means lash techs who are only certified or not, are subjected to buying lash products that are considered "cheaper quality" made in Japan, South Korea, China, etc. Some wholesales in califormia can carry these cheaper products, claiming it's made in the USA, or that it's higher quality, but it's false advertisement. They are just reselling crappy product.

With this adhesives, such as lash extension Adhesives made from these low quality vendors, can contain harmful ingredients such as formaldehyde and acrylics.
No matter what, most reputable adhesives made in the USA do not contain any of those ingredients.
However, all adhesives can share one thing. Fumes. Fumes can be irritating regardless, but with someone who has no defenses, I could only imagine that it's a recipe for disaster.  Which leads me to my next topic.

4)Allergies
Allergies could be caused by numerous things, such as adhesives that contain harsh ingredients such as formaldehyde and acrylics, fumes, eye pads, tape, sealers, make up remover, etc.
Allergies would be more easily susceptible to current cancer patient, simply because they're ammune system is shot. An allergy or allergic reaction could even prove fatal.
To read more on allergies, please read "allergies and eyelash extensions."

5)Waste of money.
Like I said in reason 1, a current patients lashes are going to fall out during the chemo or radiation treatments, meaning the lash extensions would fall out as well. Which is like throwing money down a toilet. Except, no tech can put them back on, until the patient/client is in remission. The client, would have no natural lashes to adhere lashes extensions too. And since we can not adhere to the skin, if there's no natural lashes, there's not going to be lash extensions either. It's unfortunate, but it's reality.

PLEASE, to any and all eyelash extension technicians reading this,
PLEASE consider this article as saving a potential life.
I would have never done Katie's lashes, no matter how much she begged or paid me. I would have never let Katie get lashes without research or knowledge, regardless if she went somewhere else or to me. I would never jeopardize her health or safety. I would have never said yes. Because if something went wrong, such as an allergy from the adhesive or an infection because I didn't dust my table top while setting up, I could potentially have been the one who could have jump started something that could prove fatal. And if that did happen, could you live with yourself?!
Because I couldn't.
Please, consider anyone of those patients, who are client, as my Katie.
Decline, but find a solution or a plan for future lashes once in remission.
No service and no amount of money is worth someone's health.

I hate to get personal, but this is very near and dear to my heart.
So to all of those who are fighting cancer, or in remission......even lash extensions can't show how truly brave or beautiful a person is, after being faced with such an ugly disease.
God bless.