Eyelash extensions are a new beauty trend that just about everyone, from Kim Kardashian to Adele, seem to be huge fans of. But are they really worth all the trouble?

There are several factors to consider going in – is this going to become a lifelong commitment for you or just something you want temporarily for a couple months, or for a special event like a wedding?

Then there’s the financial factor – on average eyelash extension cost $250 for the initial application, then an additional $50-80 for touchups – and most professional recommend that you get them maintained every 2-3 weeks. So your grand annual total for keeping those lashes (artificially) long and lush can be well over $2000 (and that’s not including tip!).

Also, there’s recently been some studies that show that these extensions can cause more physical harm than good. According to this ABC News story, not only can they cause you to lose  your natural lashes, the synthetic glue used to apply them can cause allergic reactions in some. And having any kind of chemical compound that close to your eye, and just hanging around in your lashes, can definitely lead to potential infections.

In fact, the British College of Optometrists recently warned that the “repeated use of eyelash extensions can cause traction alopecia, a condition where the hair falls out due to excessive tensions placed on the hair shaft.” This can create a vicious cycle where your natural lashes either slow down, or even worse, completely stop growing, and you’re forced to keep up with the extensions for lord knows how long.

So is the price of beauty worth it in this case?