LAUSR

One type of cosmetic that has gained recent popularity is the magnetic false eyelash. Some of these magnetic eyelashes are placed onto magnetic eyeliner applied to eye lids, while others come in pairs and clamp around the natural eyelashes. This presents potential safety hazards in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment. This is because patients may not deem it necessary to disclose this type of cosmetic, the standard MR screening forms often fail to capture these accessories, and the eyelashes may not be readily noticed by the technologists. MRI artifacts caused by magnetic eyelashes were reported previously. However, in this study, we used industry standard testing methods specifically to examine the projectile risk. We quantified the deflection force experienced by magnetic eyelashes from various manufacturers. All tested products produced large deflections, indicative of significant magnetic forces. The translational forces were so strong that other effects (such as rotational forces, heating, and artifacts) could only be tested in a manner that is inconsistent with how a patient would present in a usual clinical setting.