Keeping eyebrows healthy and in shape is essential because they can define your facial features. But factors like nutrient deficiencies, skin conditions, thyroid dysfunction, stress, aging, and certain other autoimmune conditions may cause eyebrow hair loss. But do not fret if you observe eyebrow thinning. It may have a number of causes. This article explores the causes of eyebrow hair loss, ways to minimize it, and certain tips to prevent it. Keep reading.
In This Article
What Causes Eyebrow Hair Loss?
The reasons for eyebrow hair loss include:
- Over Plucking: It is not easy to resist the temptation to tweeze your eyebrows if you do not want to endure the pain of threading. But when you pluck your eyebrow hair, you are pulling it out from the follicles, damaging it. Repeatedly plucking your eyebrows can permanently damage the follicles over time and prevent them from producing new hair.
- Skin Conditions: Various skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis, or infection in the hair follicles may cause itching, redness, and inflammation around your eyebrows (1). Inflammation around the eyebrows can also cause hair loss.
- Thyroid Dysfunction: The thyroid gland releases hormones to regulate our metabolism. Any disruption in its functioning may cause hair loss, including eyebrow hair loss (2). If your thyroid is underactive, you may lose the outer third of your eyebrow.
- Nutrient Deficiency: Nutrient deficiencies that cause hair loss on the scalp may have the same effect on your eyebrows. Lack of iron, zinc, protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12, biotin, and omega-3 fatty acids may cause eyebrow and body hair loss (3).
- Autoimmune Conditions: Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions like alopecia areata, lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosing alopecia, DLE (discoid lupus erytjematosus), and androgenetic hair loss affect the hair follicles and may cause hair loss on your scalp and eyebrows (4).
- Stress: Emotional and physiological stress may trigger conditions that may cause hair loss. For instance, telogen effluvium can affect the hair follicles and cause excessive shedding. Trichotillomania (compulsive plucking), trichoteiromania (hair loss caused by repeated rubbing), and trichotemnomania (obsessive shaving) are other psychiatric conditions that may cause hair loss (5).
- Aging: You will start losing hair from your head and eyebrows as you get older because, well, that’s how aging works. You may start experiencing hair thinning in your 40s.
- Infections: Infections like leprosy, secondary or tertiary syphilis, folliculitis, and herpes zoster or simplex may also cause eyebrow hair loss (6).
While you may not be able to control age-related hair loss, you can try a few home remedies to minimize eyebrow hair loss. Check them out.
Ways To Minimize Eyebrow Hair Loss
Note: In case your eyebrow hair loss is caused by an underlying condition, consult a doctor.
1. Castor Oil
Anecdotal evidence suggests that castor oil nourishes the hair follicles to promote faster and thicker hair growth. This property can help your eyebrows grow thicker.
How To Use
- Apply castor oil to your eyebrows with a cotton swab.
- Gently massage the oil for a couple of minutes.
- Leave it on for half an hour before washing it off with lukewarm water.
2. Olive Oil
A study found that applying unprocessed olive extract could induce the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle in mice. The hair growth stimulating effect is due to oleuropein, a polyphenolic compound found in olive extracts, including olive oil (7). Hence, applying olive oil to the eyebrows can promote hair growth.
How To Use
- Warm half a teaspoon of olive in the microwave for a few seconds.
- Massage your eyebrows with this warm olive oil for a few minutes.
- Wash it off after 30 minutes.
3. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera gel has healing properties that can help treat seborrheic dermatitis, a condition that causes dandruff (8).. It also contains enzymes that soothe and protect the scalp and prevent hair loss (9).
How To Use
- Squeeze the gel out of an aloe vera leaf.
- Massage the gel onto your eyebrows for a few minutes.
- Wash it off with lukewarm water after 30 minutes.
4. Fenugreek Seeds
A tonic containing fenugreek seed extract was found to promote hair growth in rabbits and had similar effects as minoxidil, a medication used to treat hair loss (10). Hence, you can try using fenugreek seeds to minimize eyebrow hair loss.
How To Use
- Soak a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in water overnight.
- Grind them to a paste and mix with coconut oil.
- Apply this mixture to your eyebrows and leave it on overnight.
- Wash the paste off with water the next morning.
5. Milk
Anecdotal evidence suggests that milk works as a natural conditioner and contains proteins that can aid eyebrow hair growth.
How To Use
- Apply milk to your eyebrows with the help of a cotton swab.
- Let it dry and wash off after 20 minutes.
- Follow this routine twice a day.
6. Egg Yolk
Egg yolk contains peptides that can stimulate hair growth (11). Hence, it may also be great at treating eyebrow hair loss.
How To Use
- Beat the yolk of an egg until it is creamy.
- Apply it to your eyebrows with a cotton swab and leave it on for 20 minutes.
- Wash off with cold water.
- Follow this routine twice a week.
Besides following these all-natural home remedies, here are a few tips to keep in mind to prevent eyebrow hair loss.
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Tips For Preventing Eyebrow Hair Loss
- Avoid plucking your eyebrows as much as you can. It may cause eyebrow hair loss, ingrown hair, and infections.
- Consume foods rich in proteins, iron, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, E, and C to promote good eyebrow hair growth.
- You may have eggs, fish, lean meat, lentils, green vegetables, nuts, and dairy products.
- Follow a good skin care routine every day and stay well hydrated.
In case of excessive hair loss, consult a doctor immediately.
When To Call A Doctor
If you are losing eyebrow hair, consult a doctor to determine the underlying reason. Follow the suggested treatment plan to address the condition (if any) and prevent hair loss.
Multiple reasons may lead to eyebrow hair loss. It may be because of skin conditions, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, and nutrient deficiencies. Over plucking, stress and aging may also trigger eyebrow hair loss. You can manage your eyebrow hair loss using castor oil, olive oil, fenugreek seeds, aloe vera, egg yolk, and milk. In addition, including foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and proteins help combat eyebrow hair loss. Also, avoid over-plucking and maintain a good skin care regimen to minimize eyebrow hair loss.
Infographic: How To Cover Up Thinning Eyebrows With Makeup
Some people are born with thick, beautiful brows. But the rest of us will have to work a little harder to impersonate them. So, fret not if you belong to the second group! Certain cosmetic tips and techniques can help you master the art of brow shaping and filling for a youthful, fresh-faced look. Learn how to conceal your thinning eyebrows with makeup from the infographic below.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Key Takeaways
- Lifestyle habits, underlying medical conditions, and autoimmune disorders can trigger eyebrow hair loss.
- Certain home remedies and prevention tips can help manage eyebrow hair loss effectively.
- Eyebrow hair loss can be reversed if there is no follicle damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for eyebrow hair to fall out?
It is normal to lose a couple of strands. However, if you are losing eyebrow hair in patches, consult a doctor immediately.
Does an eyebrow pencil cause eyebrow hair loss?
No, using an eyebrow pencil does not cause eyebrow hair loss.
How many eyebrow hairs can you lose in a day?
You can lose an average of 10 eyebrow hair strands every day.
Why is my eyebrow hair falling out on one side?
If you are losing hair from the outer side, you may have thyroid issues. Consult a doctor immediately.
Sources
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Check out our editorial policy for further details.
- Eyebrow Loss
https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00128071-200708060-00003 - A Descriptive Study of Alopecia Patterns and their Relation to Thyroid Dysfunction
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746235/ - Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5315033/ - Frontal fibrosing alopecia associated with generalized hair loss
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20695856/ - Madarosis: A Marker of Many Maladies
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358936/ - Madarosis: A Marker of Many Maladies
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358936/#!po=0.458716 - Topical Application of Oleuropein Induces Anagen Hair Growth in Telogen Mouse Skin https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0129578
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of an Aloe vera (A. barbadensis) emulsion in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09546639909055904 - Aloe vera : A Potential Herb and its Medicinal Importance
https://www.jocpr.com/articles/aloe-vera–a-potential-herb-and-its-medicinal-importance.pdf - Effectiveness Test Of Fenugreek Seed ( Trigonella foenum-graecum L . ) Extract Hair Tonic In Hair Growth Activity
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/EFFECTIVENESS-TEST-OF-FENUGREEK-SEED-%28-Trigonella-L-Wijaya-Mun%E2%80%99im/d0417d40660c465157ac1dbff69ea336df7a2334?p2df - Naturally Occurring Hair Growth Peptide: Water-Soluble Chicken Egg Yolk Peptides Stimulate Hair Growth Through Induction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Production
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2017.4101
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Anjali Sayee
Anjali specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. Her philosophy… more
Dr. Shruti Chavan
(MBBS)Dr. Shruti Chavan is a consulting dermatologist at Dr.Sheth’s Skin and Hair Clinic since 6 years. She is a co-committee… more
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