As the founder and CEO of NovaLash, Sophy Merszei may be best known for using her background as a molecular biologist and cosmetic chemist to set industry standards in the eyelash extension industry. In addition to educating the community about the importance of healthy lash extension products, Sophy is also committed to raising awareness about a condition that has made a huge impact on her personal life: Lyme Disease. This Lyme Disease Awareness Month, NovaLash is honoring our founder by sharing more about Lyme Disease and raising funds for the Global Lyme Alliance (GLA).  

What is Lyme Disease? 

Lyme Disease is spread through the bite of an infected tick. A “bull’s eye” rash is a common giveaway for Lyme Disease, but many cases of the disease don’t result in a visible rash, making it harder to diagnose. Early signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease are similar to the flu and include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain. When treated early, Lyme disease can typically be cured through antibiotics. 

Without early treatment, or in cases where antibiotics can’t cure the disease, symptoms can become much more severe. Late-stage Lyme Disease can cause severe fatigue, headaches, vertigo, sleep disturbances, and muscle and joint pain. 

Sophy’s Journey With Lyme Disease 

Sophy believes she was probably infected with Lyme Disease around age 5. Without the “bull’s eye” rash, Sophy’s doctors misdiagnosed her symptoms for years. Sophy underwent several surgeries (including having her tonsils and gall bladder removed) to resolve her sleep issues, memory loss, and vertigo. 

It wasn’t until 2012 that one of Sophy’s doctors tested her for Lyme Disease. At first, she didn’t believe Lyme Disease could be the culprit, saying: “I thought that happened to people who went camping all the time, and I’m such an indoor person. I wasn’t thinking back to my childhood, because I didn’t know Lyme could stay in your body.” 

The first Lyme Disease test came back negative, but using her experience in biology and lab testing, Sophy noticed an irregularity in the results. She retook the test and this time, it came back positive. 

Although Sophy’s medical mystery is solved, long-term Lyme Disease isn’t easy to treat and she still suffers from a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and vertigo. 

Preventing Lyme disease

Since early detection is crucial to successfully treating Lyme Disease, Sophy and Team NovaLash have committed themselves to raise awareness about the condition. Sophy encourages everyone to cover up when they’re in the woods and to wear insect repellent. Once you’re home, carefully check your skin and scalp for tick bites, especially in the late summer or early spring when ticks are especially tiny.  

NovaLash Is Lashing Out For Lyme 

Since education is key to preventing Lyme Disease, NovaLash is spreading awareness and raising funds for the Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) throughout the month of May. For the entire month, NovaLash will donate 10% of sales on the following products to the GLA: 

• Limited Edition NovaLash Shirts 
• MiniFAN 
• Sugarcandy Mountain Triptychs Set 
• Wintergreen & Mint Chocolate Chip Candied Lashes 

Support Sophy’s fight against Lyme Disease by educating yourself and others on Lyme Disease, purchasing our specialty products, and spreading awareness by using the hashtag #LASHoutforLyme across social media.