How can I make my eyebrows grow thicker?
Hypotrichosis – also known as eyebrow hair loss – affects thousands of men and women every year. Losing hair, including your eyebrows, can be very upsetting and distressing and if you are experiencing eyebrow hair loss, you might be searching for information about its causes and potential treatment options. We are here this month to explore these questions and more, and to let you know about the cosmetic treatment options we offer such as wrinkle treatments, if you have other concerns such as fine lines.
Why Does Eyebrow Hair Loss Occur?
There can be many reasons for eyebrow loss, and you may need to seek the treatment and advice of a medical professional such as a doctor if you are concerned that there is a medical issue causing your hair loss. Below are some of the most common causes of eyebrow loss:
Alopecia Areata: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. Our hair follicles are where individual hairs grow from, and when our immune systems attacks them unnecessarily, this slows down or stops hair production.
Eczema: Eczema is an inflammation of the skin, which is caused by an oversensitivity of the immune system. It causes itching, redness, and irritation, among other symptoms, and it can affect hair growth because our hair follicles are embedded in the skin.
Thyroid Issues: Thyroid disease can actually be a common cause for eyebrow hair loss. This is due to the fact that your thyroid is a gland responsible for producing the hormones that regulate the metabolism, and when there is an imbalance of these hormones this can disrupt hair growth.
Overplucking of Eyebrows: Another common cause of eyebrow hair loss is over plucking. However, overplucking over a long period of time can actually create a minor trauma, and cause hair to stop growing in the eyebrow area.
How to Grow Thicker Brows – Results of a 2016 Study
A 2016 study in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery explored whether an eye medication known as ‘Bimatoprost 0.03%’ could cause hair regrowth and thus thicker eyebrows. The medication bimatoprost is type of eye drop that has been used to treat glaucoma, which is a problem with excess pressure in the eye.
357 people took part in the study, and the breakdown of the patients is below:
- 1/3 of the patients used Bimatoprost four times a day
- 1/3 of the patients used Bimatoprost twice a day
- 1/3 of the patients used a placebo (no active ingredients)
Interestingly, the patients in the study that used Bitamoprost twice a day saw a greater improvement in their eyebrows than the patients that used the lotion four times a day.
In summary, this study found that Bimatoprost eyedrops can grow thicker and darker eyebrows when used for a period of longer than four weeks.
References
- Bimatoprost 0.03% for the Treatment of Eyebrow Hypotrichosis, Dermatol Surg. 2016 May; 42(5): 608–617, Jean Carruthers, MD et al, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5414776/
What Can I do if I Have Eyebrow Hair Loss?
The first course of action is to consult with your doctor and determine the cause of your hair loss. This is a very important step that will help to ensure that any underlying causes are being treated and that your health is being taken care of properly. Below is a list of some common treatments that may be used for eyebrow hair loss in consultation with a doctor.
Bimatoprost: Your doctor or dermatologist may recommend the use of bimatoprost for eyebrow hair loss, following the 2016 study explained above. This could help your eyebrows to grow thicker and darker when used for a treatment period of more than four weeks.
Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids can be used to treat alopecia areata, dermatitis and eczema because they help to reduce inflammation and immune responses. They come in topical, injectable, and pill form.
Permanent Makeup or Microblading: There is also the option to cover eyebrow hair loss or thinning with permanent makeup or microblading. These options provide a cosmetic solution to hair loss, and can be permanent or semi-permanent depending on which route you choose.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture can be an option to treat alopecia areata. This is because acupuncture may work to stimulate circulation to the hair follicle bulb and reduce the attacks of the immune system on the hair follicles.
Do You Need Wrinkle Treatments in Melbourne?
Look no further than Cityskin, our cosmetic clinic in Melbourne for cosmetic treatments like wrinkle treatments and volume enhancement treatments. If you have cosmetic concerns and are interested in seeing what cosmetic treatments we offer or what results we can help you to achieve, then get in touch. Backed by over 10 years of experience and the training and expertise of our team, we are able to offer you the very best in cosmetic treatments and customer service.
For personalised treatments in Melbourne that are tailored to your concerns and goals get in touch with Cityskin. If you are a new patient, you can book a free 30 minute consultation and if you are an existing Cityskin patient, you can book an appointment online at a clinic of your choice.
The information in this blog article should not be considered medical advice.