Young Men Are Doing Something Really Weird to Appear More Masculine & Experts Say There's a Bigger Issue at Hand
We've seen some rather strange trends over the years, from the squiggle brows of the late 2010s to the heart-shaped nails that took over our Instagram feeds this past February. And now, there's a new trend on the block that's just as polarizing, and potentially dangerous. If you've been online lately, chances are you've seen it too: Young men are trimming off their eyelashes to look more masculine, and parenting experts say it could signify a bigger issue.
Quite a few TikToks have gone viral in 2025 showing barbers shaving off young men's eyelashes, per their request. In one TikTok, a barber shared a video of a young man doing this, sharing a story about how a client of his requested the same thing because 'his wife criticized them for looking too feminine.' Another viral TikTok pointed out how this act is a form of toxic masculinity, and in the video, TikTok even put a disclaimer at the bottom, saying, 'Participating in this activity could result in you or others getting hurt.'
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It's a running joke that men have the most beautiful lashes, and that women are envious since we do so much to achieve the same result. But eyelashes are more than just aesthetic; they're essential for protecting your eyes from dust, debris, sunlight, and more that could affect your eye health.
'Eyelashes are meant to block foreign objects such as dust, debris, and splashes in the eye,' neuro-ophthalmologist Dr. Victoria Williams said in an interview about the trend with HuffPost. 'It blocks germs and bacteria from getting in your eye and prevents eye infections.' Not to mention the obvious risk of the trimming itself; getting any sort of blade near the eye is not a great idea from a potential injury standpoint, especially since the average teenage boy is probably not doing it under the guidance of a professional.
Richard Ramos, author, speaker, and founder of Parents on a Mission, told SheKnows that the issue with trimming your eyelashes isn't just about the act itself, but the reasoning behind it. And if your teen or young adult son is interested in this trend, he has some advice. 'Instead of reacting with judgment or dismissiveness, approach the topic with genuine curiosity. Ask your son why he feels the need to trim his eyelashes and what it means to him,' he says. 'This opens the door for a meaningful conversation about self-image, masculinity, and the pressures he might be feeling from peers or social media.'
Use this trend — and any other masculinity trend — as an opportunity to have an open discussion with your son and to remind them about his unique qualities. 'Masculinity isn't about fitting into a narrow mold, but rather it's about character, responsibility, and how you treat others,' Ramos adds. 'As I often say to parents, we don't want to 'choke on the ant but swallow the camel' by making a big deal out of something relatively minor while ignoring bigger issues. Use this moment to connect with your teen rather than create unnecessary conflict, but if you sense deeper insecurities or peer pressure at play, gently guide them toward healthier ways of building self-esteem.'
Trends come and go, but the damage behind so many can last a lifetime. As experts like Ramos stress, trends like eyelash trimming play a part in the larger issue of masculinity and how, as parents, we all need to help our sons feel more confident without sacrificing their mental or physical health … or those gorgeous eyelashes.
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