The short answer
Yes - for most people, eyelashes do grow back after pulling. A single pulled lash regrows in roughly 6 to 8 weeks; after months or years of repeated pulling, meaningful regrowth typically takes 3 to 6 months once pulling stops. Most follicles remain viable. The exception: very long-term, high-frequency pulling can - in some cases - lead to follicular scarring that limits regrowth. That risk is real but not certain, and it does not change the most important first step, which is getting support for the pulling itself.
Key takeaways
- Most follicles recover. Even after years of pulling, the majority of follicles remain structurally intact (Bolduc and Sperling, 2009).
- Regrowth timeline is 3 to 6 months for most people who have been pulling repeatedly - not 6 to 8 weeks, because the cycle has been repeatedly disrupted.
- Permanent follicle damage is possible but not inevitable. The risk increases with years of daily, high-frequency pulling to the same sites.
- The fastest path to regrowth is reducing the pulling. No topical product addresses the underlying drive to pull.
- Evidence-based help exists. Habit reversal training (HRT) and the Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment (ComB) model are effective. The TLC Foundation (bfrb.org) has a therapist directory.
Most Follicles Recover - The Biology
Each eyelash grows from a follicle - a small pocket in the eyelid skin that houses the hair bulb, the papilla (the growth center), and a surrounding matrix of cells. The follicle cycles through three phases: anagen (active growth, 30 to 45 days for eyelashes), catagen (transition, 2 to 3 weeks), and telogen (resting, up to 100 days). Pulling a lash removes the hair shaft but leaves the follicle in place. If the follicle is intact, it will restart its anagen phase and begin producing a new lash.
This is the biological reason why most eyelashes do grow back after pulling: the follicle itself - not the hair - is the functional unit, and casual or moderate pulling rarely destroys the follicle outright. The hair is gone; the factory that produces it usually is not.
What pulling actually does to the follicle
Pulling removes the hair shaft. What happens to the follicle depends on how often and for how long.
The follicle is startled, not damaged. It restarts its anagen phase. A new lash appears in 6 to 8 weeks.
The follicle is repeatedly forced back to the start of its cycle. Regrowth slows and may look thinner during recovery. Still usually reversible when pulling stops.
Repeated mechanical trauma to the same follicles can disrupt the dermal papilla and, in some cases, trigger a scarring response (Bolduc and Sperling, 2009). This is where permanent loss becomes possible.
The honest caveat: the American Academy of Ophthalmology's clinical guidance notes that "repeatedly pulling out eyelashes will make them grow back more slowly - to the point where they may not grow back at all." That statement is true for a subset of chronic cases. It is not a universal outcome. The research cited in this guide helps clarify who is in that subset.
Regrowth Timeline for Pullers
The "6 to 8 weeks" regrowth estimate circulates widely online, and it is accurate for a single pulled lash in an otherwise undisturbed follicle. For someone who has been pulling repeatedly, the timeline is different - because each pull restarts the anagen phase rather than building on a continuous cycle.
What to expect after pulling stops
Timelines are approximate. Individual variation is significant.
One thing the timeline cannot capture: the pulling has to stop, or significantly reduce, for these windows to apply. Follicles that are still being pulled every few days cannot complete their anagen phase. The timeline starts from when pulling stops - not from when the intention to stop begins.
When Permanent Damage Can Happen
This is the part most pages either avoid entirely or state as a cold warning with no context. Neither approach is honest.
Most follicles recover. That is the starting point and the most likely outcome for the majority of people who pull, including many who have pulled for years. The research supports this. Bolduc and Sperling (2009) published a histopathological study in Cutis examining follicles from trichotillomania cases, finding that most follicles show disruption of the growth cycle - catagen-phase hairs, pigment casts, empty follicle sheaths - but the follicle structure remains largely intact. This is why regrowth occurs when pulling stops.
The exception: in a subset of chronic cases, the same study documented follicular scarring and fibrosis - structural changes to the follicle itself that are not reversible. The risk factors that appear to correlate with this outcome are years of pulling (not weeks or months), high frequency (pulling from the same follicle sites repeatedly), and pulling that includes the follicle bulb rather than just the hair shaft.
What the research says about recovery likelihood
Based on Bolduc and Sperling (Cutis, 2009) follicle histopathology findings. This is qualitative - not a diagnostic tool.
Very high likelihood of full regrowth when pulling stops. Follicle disruption at this stage is almost always reversible.
Most follicles still recover. Some may regrow more slowly or with finer lashes initially. Permanent damage is uncommon but cannot be ruled out for heavily pulled sites.
Majority of follicles still likely viable, but the risk of permanent loss in some follicles is real. If pulling stops and minimal regrowth occurs after 6 months, a dermatologist with trichoscopy capability can assess follicle status directly.
The most important thing to know about this section: reading it should not feel like a dead end. Even for long-term pullers, the most likely outcome after stopping is meaningful regrowth. The permanent-damage possibility is a reason to seek support for stopping sooner - not a reason to conclude it is too late.
Why Pulling Happens (and Why It Is Hard to Stop)
Trichotillomania is classified in the DSM-5 as an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder (OCRD) - not a habit, not a quirk, and not a failure of willpower. That classification matters because it shapes what treatment works and how the person experiencing it should be talked to.
The behavioral mechanism involves a tension-and-release loop: pulling provides a rapid, reliable release of tension, anxiety, or overstimulation, and the brain learns to route those states toward the behavior. Two types of pulling are recognized clinically: automatic pulling, which happens below awareness (many people discover they have been pulling without consciously deciding to), and focused pulling, which occurs with awareness and often during specific emotional states like stress, boredom, or concentration.
Automatic vs. focused pulling
The distinction matters for treatment - the strategies differ.
Below conscious awareness. Often happens during routine activities (reading, watching television, talking on the phone). The person may not notice until they see hairs in their hand. Responds well to awareness training and physical barriers.
Deliberate, with awareness, often triggered by emotional states (anxiety, frustration, overstimulation) or by the sensory quality of a specific lash. Responds well to cognitive-behavioral approaches and competing response training.
Pulling is not something people do because they want thin lashes or because they do not care about the outcome. That framing is both inaccurate and counterproductive. People with trichotillomania experience significant distress about the behavior and often feel significant shame - shame that, research suggests, makes the behavior harder to interrupt rather than easier. That is worth naming plainly.
Treatment That Works: HRT and ComB
Two behavioral frameworks have the strongest evidence base for trichotillomania. Neither involves willpower. Both involve working with a trained clinician to build specific skills.
The two frameworks with clinical support
A meta-analysis by Bloch and colleagues (Biological Psychiatry, 2007) found habit reversal training to be the most effective first-line approach for trichotillomania.
A behavioral protocol developed by Azrin and Nunn. The therapist and patient identify pulling triggers, increase awareness of the behavior, and build a competing response - a physical substitute that interrupts the pulling impulse. Originally developed in 1973 and still the most studied approach for BFRBs.
An evolution of HRT that integrates elements of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness. ComB also maps the sensory, cognitive, emotional, and motoric functions that drive pulling in a specific individual and tailors interventions accordingly.
Medication is sometimes used as an adjunct, not a primary treatment. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an amino acid supplement, showed benefit in a randomized controlled trial (Grant and colleagues, Archives of General Psychiatry, 2009) and is sometimes recommended alongside behavioral therapy. Standard antidepressants are used when there is a significant co-occurring anxiety or OCD condition.
The most direct route to finding evidence-based treatment is the TLC Foundation's therapist directory, which specifically lists clinicians trained in BFRB treatment.
Get Support: BFRB Resources
The right next step
If you are looking for support with stopping or reducing the pulling - or if you want to understand more about what trichotillomania is - the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (bfrb.org) is the most trusted and complete resource available. It maintains a therapist directory of clinicians trained specifically in BFRB treatment, runs peer support groups, and publishes current clinical guidance written for and with the BFRB community.
- Find a BFRB-trained therapist - bfrb.org therapist directory, searchable by location
- Trichotillomania overview - clinical information written for the person experiencing it
- Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 if you need immediate support
This page is editorial and informational. It is not a substitute for clinical care. TheLashList is a lash content site; this page has no commercial interest and no product recommendations.
FAQ
Do eyelashes grow back after pulling them out?
Yes, for most people they do. A single pulled lash typically regrows within 6 to 8 weeks. For people who have been pulling repeatedly over months or years, meaningful regrowth typically takes 3 to 6 months once pulling stops. Most follicles remain viable. The exception is very long-term chronic pulling, which can in some cases lead to follicular scarring.
Can eyelashes grow back after trichotillomania?
Yes, in most cases. Research by Bolduc and Sperling (Cutis, 2009) confirms that most follicles remain structurally intact even after prolonged pulling. Regrowth typically begins within 6 to 12 weeks of pulling stopping, with fuller recovery over 3 to 6 months. A small subset of follicles that have experienced years of repeated trauma may show permanent changes.
Can pulling eyelashes permanently damage the follicle?
It is possible but not inevitable. Bolduc and Sperling (Cutis, 2009) documented follicular scarring in a subset of chronic trichotillomania cases. Short-term or intermittent pulling is very unlikely to cause permanent damage. Long-term, high-frequency pulling - typically years of daily pulling - carries a real but not certain risk. Most long-term pullers who stop still regrow lashes.
How long do eyelashes take to grow back after pulling?
A single lash regrows in roughly 6 to 8 weeks. For people who have been pulling repeatedly, expect 3 to 6 months. Chronic long-term pullers may need 6 to 12 months or more. Regrowth is rarely perfectly uniform - different follicles restart at different times.
Is it normal to pull out eyelashes?
More common than most people realize. Body-focused repetitive behaviors including hair pulling affect an estimated 1 to 2 percent of the general population. Many people pull automatically, without being aware of it. This is not a character flaw or lack of willpower. The TLC Foundation (bfrb.org) has peer support and clinical resources.
Why does pulling eyelashes feel good?
The tension-and-release loop in hair pulling is linked to the brain's reward system. The physical sensation of pulling provides a brief release - particularly when a person is anxious, bored, or overstimulated. This is a learned neurological loop that can be interrupted with behavioral therapy, not evidence of a moral failing.
What helps eyelashes grow back after stopping pulling?
Giving follicles time is the most important factor. Once pulling stops, most follicles restart on their own. Gentle eye makeup removal, avoiding mechanical trauma, and adequate nutrition support the process. The fastest path to regrowth is reducing or stopping the pulling. For support with stopping, the TLC Foundation (bfrb.org) has a therapist directory.
Can trichotillomania be cured?
There is no single cure, but it is very treatable. Habit reversal training (HRT) and ComB have the strongest evidence. A meta-analysis by Bloch and colleagues (Biological Psychiatry, 2007) found HRT to be the most effective first-line approach. Many people achieve significant reduction or full remission with proper support.
Is pulling out eyelashes a form of stimming?
There is overlap in the sensory-regulation function. Trichotillomania is classified as an OCD-spectrum condition (OCRD) in the DSM-5, not specifically as stimming, though the two can co-occur. The distinction matters clinically because treatment approaches differ. A clinician familiar with BFRBs is the right person to assess this.
What should I say to someone with trichotillomania?
Avoid framing it as a habit or something easily stopped with willpower. Ask what kind of support they want rather than assuming they want advice. Pointing to the TLC Foundation (bfrb.org) is a concrete, non-judgmental way to offer a resource. Shame and repeated commentary on hair loss make the condition harder to manage.
About the author
Sarah Mitchell is The Lash List's Beauty Science Editor. She reviews the dermatology and cosmetic-chemistry literature on lash health and regrowth, and applies the same editorial standards to beauty topics and medical-adjacent content. This page was researched using published dermatology literature (Bolduc and Sperling, 2009), clinical treatment evidence (Bloch et al., 2007), and first-person community sources. See our full methodology.
Sources
- Bolduc C, Sperling LC. Histopathology of alopecia: a clinicopathological approach to diagnosis. Cutis. 2009. DOI: 10.2310/6620.2009.09022
- Bloch MH, Landeros-Weisenberger A, Dombrowski P, et al. Systematic review: pharmacological and behavioral treatment for trichotillomania. Biological Psychiatry. 2007;62(8):839-846.
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Trichotillomania and Eyelash Plucking.
- American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5: Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), classified under Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. 2013.
- Grant JE, Odlaug BL, Kim SW. N-acetylcysteine, a glutamate modulator, in the treatment of trichotillomania: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2009;66(7):756-763.