Cosmetic-related eye injuries among US teenagers increased by 900% between 2020 and 2024, according to Brown University research presented at ARVO 2026.
Students from the university’s Warren Alpert Medical School analysed National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data on children treated in US emergency departments for cosmetic-related eye injuries between 2005 and 2024. Although the overall incidence declined across the 20-year study period, injuries increased 5.6% between 2020 and 2024. The rise was 88% among children aged five to 12 years and 900% among those aged 13–17.
Contusions and chemical burns were the most frequently reported injuries, while other presentations included irritation, conjunctivitis, corneal abrasions, allergic reactions and trauma. Adolescents experienced more contusions and trauma-related injuries, while chemical burns were more common among toddlers. Hair accessories and styling tools, including curling irons, hair clips and hairpins, were the product category most frequently implicated.
Study co-author and medical student Emma Danes said prevention strategies should be tailored to different age groups. For children under five, this could include child-resistant packaging, safer home storage and parental education. For adolescents, she said safety messages should appear on social media platforms where young people tend to learn about cosmetic products.
The researchers also called for clearer warning labels, product reformulation to reduce ocular toxicity following accidental exposure and automatic shut-off features on heated styling devices.
