Thin Eyebrows

Thinning eyebrows result from a variety of causes, including the natural aging process. Your hair follicles can shrink over time and produce thinner hair or stop producing any hair at all. When your brows lack the fullness you are looking for, it can also be the result of years of tweezing that may have damaged your hair follicles.

Eyebrows and Your Confidence

Thick, full eyebrows are considered attractive, and when your eyebrows are thin you may feel that they detract from your appearance. Genetics play a role in determining the shape and fullness of your eyebrows, and you may notice that your eyebrows have become thinner over time as you age. It is important to learn if you are taking medication that is causing your eyebrows to become thin, or if you have an underlying medical condition.

Beside aesthetic considerations, your eyebrows perform a function. They sit on your brow ridge and prevent sweat and debris from entering your eye. Lush eyebrows can also help to filter sunlight. You can consult with Dr. Chiang, a board-certified dermatologist at Integrated Aesthetics, to find out about treatment options to improve thin eyebrows.

man with a beard and a white shirt looking off to the side

Causes of Thin Eyebrows

Thinning brows can also be due to genetics or skin conditions like alopecia, eczema or psoriasis, or medical conditions like hypothyroidism and hormonal changes. Some medications can cause hair loss, and stress and nutritional deficiency are also suspected to cause thinning eyebrows.

Preventing Thinning Eyebrows

Before you can take steps to prevent your eyebrows from thinning, you have to figure out the cause of your thinning eyebrows. Over-tweezing is a main cause that is within your control. Every eyebrow hair is connected to a derma vessel, a tiny blood vessel in your skin. The derma vessel keeps your hair healthy and allows the hair to grow back once the hair is removed. If the derma vessel ruptures, the hair will never return. You can try to prevent eyebrow thinning by tweezing properly in the direction that the hair is growing, rather than straight out.

Hypothyroidism, a condition where your thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone, can also cause thin eyebrows. If you have hypothyroidism you can take medication to treat the condition. Skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema can cause inflammation that makes your eyebrow hair fall out. Treating the problem may prevent thinning eyebrows.

Treatment Options for Thin Eyebrows

Fortunately, there are procedures that can address thin eyebrows, both surgical and nonsurgical.

An eyebrow transplant is a surgical procedure that transplants hair follicles from another area of the body, such as the back of the scalp, and implants them on the brow. Hair transplant techniques used in eyebrow transplants include follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplant (FUT). You are likely to see results in 4-6 months. Keep in mind that the hair will continue to grow like scalp hair, so it needs to be trimmed.
Microblading is a less invasive option that can pigment the skin and give you the appearance of fuller eyebrows. Microblading is a technique that uses a semi-permanent tattoo that fills out your thin eyebrows to make them look fuller and more symmetrical. The doctor will use a handheld tool to deposit pigment into the top skin layer. The results last for 1-3 years.
Latisse is FDA-approved for eyelash growth, and some doctors prescribe the serum to improve thin eyebrows.