Thin Eyebrows and Lashes
When we talk to people, we tend to look at their foreheads or somewhere around their eyes. For that reason, the eyelashes and eyebrows are central to the facial aesthetic. A good pair of thick eyelashes can transform an otherwise normal face into one of extraordinary beauty. They frame the eyes, shape them, and help to form a person's identity in our minds. The eyebrows are an important part of forming facial expressions. They define our pattern of communication and the impression we present to the world. That is why, when our eyebrows and eyelashes start to thin, it can have an enormous impact on our mental state. It changes who we are in the minds of others and how they see us.
What are Thin Eyebrows and Lashes?
Thinning eyebrows can be a serious aesthetic issue. Most women are aware of the conundrum. The styles of each decade seem to be defined by eyebrows–thick, thin, penciled on, or almost non-existent. Fitting in means adopting that fashion, but sometimes that fashion isn’t so good for our health. The more we tweeze our eyebrows, the more they disappear. That’s just one of many reasons our eyebrows thin. Regardless of why it happens, it’s not something anyone wants to experience. In fact, many people isolate when it happens. We get embarrassed, and we avoid interacting with anyone, leaving us depressed and broken by it.
Nowadays it seems like everyone has a designer makeup kit with a set of thick, voluminous eyelashes. Many young women never leave their house without them, which makes it all the more worse when our eyelashes start to thin or fall out. Sparse eyelashes are so much more than just an aesthetic concern. Eyelashes are there for a reason. They help repel debris, bacteria, dust, and allergens, protecting the eye from the outside world. Without them, more objects get through, leading to infections, allergies, and diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This article is based around the aesthetic concerns caused by sparse eyelashes. But it might be worth researching ways to compensate for the lack of protection.
What Causes Thin Eyebrows and Lashes?
More often than not, our eyebrows and eyelashes thin for reasons beyond our control. Sometimes it’s a symptoms of a major health disorder, detrimenting both our aesthetic appeal and our wellbeing. There are also behaviors that can cause our eyebrows and eyelashes to fall out, such as plucking, pulling, or waxing. Either way, it’s not intentional, and the consequences can be debilitating.
Medical Conditions
Some medical conditions such as alopecia areata, a thyroid deficiency, hormone disorders, or auto-immune diseases can cause our eyebrows and eyelashes to fall out. Nutrient deficiencies, chemotherapy, and ringworm can also be a culprit. Certain inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma can cause the eyelashes to fall out.
Skin Conditions
Any skin condition that causes eyebrow hair and eyelash hair to fall out is categorized as madarosis. Eczema, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis are common culprits. Some skin disorders cause chronic itching. Patients will scratch at their eyebrows or eyelashes, damaging the hair follicles, which makes it difficult for the hair to grow back.
Plucking and Waxing
Every 5 years or so thin eyebrows come back into fashion, and we’ll see women plucking and waxing, tearing the hairs out to follow the last trends. Anyone who has done so for a long period of time knows that it comes with a cost. When we rip out our eyebrow hairs, it damages the hair follicles, making it impossible for the hair to grow back.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is more than just a tongue twister. It’s a mental disorder–or perhaps a symptom of a disorder–that causes people to compulsively tear at the hair on their body. The compulsion becomes so strong that it’s extremely difficult to control. It’s often considered to be a part of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Procedures That Remedy Thin Eyebrows and Lashes
Many patients facing sparse eyebrows and eyelashes choose to live with the problem rather than seek treatment. But there’s a host of options that can either restore hair in that region or provide a realistic aesthetic. They’re effective and affordable, and many can be performed without the use of general anesthesia.
Microblading
Find doctors who offer MicrobladingMicroblading is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments on the market. It's a form of semi-permanent makeup designed to create the realistic illusion of fuller eyebrows. It involves creating small, pigmented micropunctures in the shape of small hairs. Even from a short distance, it's difficult to tell the difference between the micropunctures and real eyebrows.
Latisse
Find doctors who offer LatisseLatisse is the brand name for bimatoprost, a glaucoma medication used to reduce pressure inside the eye. It's also FDA approved for use as a growth serume for eyelash hairs. It works by lengthening the growth period, causing the lashes to grow longer. It also increases the amount of hairs that sprout up.
Eyebrow Transplant
Find doctors who offer Eyebrow TransplantMany patients choose to undergo eyebrow and eyelash transplants after they have tried other methods without success. During an eyelash transplant, hair follicles from a donor region, usually the back of the scalp, are inserted into the eyelids, causing hair to grow. Eyebrow hair follicles are replaced with follicles from behind the ear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Eyebrow Transplants Work?
Eyebrow transplants are 95-99% successful. That means that 1 in 5 out of 100 patients who receive transplants have some type of trouble with them. More often than not, the problems that do rise up are because of the follicle’s inability to adapt to its new environment. Sometimes it doesn’t take and the body rejects it. When this occurs, patients may need to go in for a touch up. Sometimes the hair doesn’t grow in as thick as it should. But that might be a blessing. Unlike normal eyebrow follicles, transplanted follicles don’t stop when the hair is at a certain length. So patients need periodic cuts.
Are Eyelash Transplants Safe?
Patients are often concerned about the prospect of receiving eyelash transplants because it involves the face and the region centered around the eyes, and they don’t necessarily trust cosmetic procedures. The eyelash transplant procedure had to undergo the same regulatory and approval process as medical procedures. If it could not be performed with a relative degree of safety, it would be illegal. That being said, eyelash extensions are considered to be somewhat of a risk. The lashes need to be trimmed, and they could cause irritation to the eyes. They could even grow the wrong way and scrape the cornea. This needs to be avoided, which is why many people only receive eyelash transplants when it is medically necessary and there is no alternative.
Is Microblading Permanent?
Microblading is often categorized as "semi-permanent" or "permanent" makeup because it is performed using a variation of the traditional tattooing technique. But don't let that deceive you. Unlike normal tattoos, microblading pigment is embedded in the epidermis, which is the top layer of the skin, not the dermis below. The epidermis is known to flake off and replenish itself, and when it does, the pigment goes with it. Microblading usually only lasts for about 18 to 30 months, but that will depend on a number of factors, including the color, the way the pigment was applied, and the type of pigment used.
Is Latisse Really Effective?
It's very important to read the fine print when it comes to hair loss products. We've all seen snake oil advertisements promising a full head of hair, even if someone is as bald as a cue ball. It's an outright lie. Once hair is gone, it is gone. There have been no futuristic advances, no miracle cures--nothing. And same goes for eyelashes. Latisse cannot regrow eyelashes that have fallen out. It is prescribed for lashes that are sparse or thinning. It aids in growth, but it only aids in growth while the patient is using the product. Once it has stopped, the effects wear off.
