A woman from Midrand, South Africa, ended up in the hospital after getting eyelash extensions. What was supposed to be a simple beauty treatment almost caused her to lose her eyesight.
Refilwe Motiang, 31, had gone to a local salon last Thursday to get her lashes done before a trip. But things took a bad turn when her eyes suddenly started burning badly during the treatment.
She explained that she felt cold and started shivering. When she stepped outside, her eyes were filled with tears, and she couldn’t even lift her eyelids. That’s when she knew something was seriously wrong.
Even though she told the lash technician about the pain, she was told it was just the glue. But the pain didn’t stop. It got worse, and Motiang had to be taken to a hospital, where doctors said her cornea — the clear part of her eye — was damaged.
“I was so scared. I couldn’t see anything, just voices around me,” she said. “I thought, ‘Are they going to take out my eyes?’ I didn’t want to panic, but deep inside I was terrified.”
At the hospital, her eyes were covered for days, and she had to stay in a dark room to protect them from light. The experience was not only painful but also left her feeling lonely and mentally tired.
She said, “I kept thinking, was it worth it just to look pretty? I wasn’t okay emotionally, but I kept hoping I’d get better.”
Now that she’s slowly healing and getting her sight back, Motiang regrets going to that salon. She’s even thinking of taking legal action because of how much the incident affected her and her family. The hospital bills were also very expensive.
“My kids were really scared. I feel bad because it caused so much stress at home,” she said.
Beauty experts say this incident is a warning to others. Paballo Mbabama, who works at Blackdime Beauty Bar, said using strong glue, poor ventilation, or wrong techniques during lash extensions can be very dangerous.
She added, “If the glue smells too strong or burns a lot, that’s not okay. It shouldn’t make your eyes red or hard to blink.”
Motiang is still going for regular check-ups as her eyes continue to heal.
