Why Your Eyebrows Fade With Age

Many people consider eyebrows to be a frame for the face, but… wait, did my frame just fall off the wall?

If you’re suddenly becoming much more familiar – and awkward – with your eyebrow pencil, it could be because your eyebrows are starting to get thinner. The reasons could be any combination of age, genetics, lifestyle, and perhaps even some concerning health conditions.

Are you worried about whether your thinning is “regular” or something that should be taken more seriously? We asked professionals to explain this phenomenon.

Dr. Claire Wolinskydermatologist, said that declining hormone levels (for both men and women) are often the reason for thinning eyebrows. “With age, both testosterone and estrogen decrease, which impacts the hair growth cycle and the hair follicle itself,” she said. “The hair follicle becomes thinner and some stop producing altogether.”

Makeup artist Natalie Dresher noted that some lifestyle habits can also contribute to the problem. “Clogging the eyebrow hair follicles with products like SPF and moisturizer also helps speed up the thinning process,” she said. Another root cause could be how much time you’ve spent plucking your eyebrows over the years. “I often hear, ‘I tweezed my eyebrows too much when I was younger,’ and that’s a big factor,” said the makeup artist Denika Bedrossian.

“The thinning of eyebrows can begin as early as age 30 or 40, but tends to become more noticeable from age 50 and beyond,” said the makeup artist. Tarryn Feldman. “The exact age can vary widely depending on genetics, general health and lifestyle factors.”

While thinning is a problem for many people, some have the opposite problem as they age. We all know that grandfather whose eyebrows get fuller every year, like Eugene Levy or Martin Scorsese. Dr. Trisha Khanna explained why: “In some people, particularly older men, some hair follicles may become more sensitive to hormones, including androgens.”

“This can result in thicker eyebrows, nose hair and ear hair,” said the dermatologist. Androgen hormones are those that contribute to male sexual characteristics, reproductive health and body development.

Another observation about lush eyebrows comes from Dr. Abraham Kazemi. “Sometimes these older gentlemen may have never combed, plucked, tweezed or waxed their eyebrows and therefore have developed thick, long eyebrows,” the dermatologist said.

Any time your body goes through a sudden change, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor, and thinning eyebrows are no exception. Dr. Janiene Lucasdermatologist and clinical professor in the department of dermatology at Loma Linda University, said: “It is important to have thinning eyebrows or other symptoms evaluated by a dermatologist to obtain a definitive diagnosis.”

Although we all tend to have less hair as we age, dermatologist and Mohs surgeon Dr. Michelle Henrique said that if your eyebrows are thinning drastically, there may be an underlying condition. “One of the main reasons could be hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones,” she said. “Other possible problems include nutritional deficiencies, alopecia, eczema or severe dermatitis.”

Kazemi offered the following suggestion: “Make sure your vitamin D and thyroid hormone levels are within normal limits by having an annual blood test with your primary care doctor or dermatologist. Also, be sure to take a multivitamin and eat a well-balanced diet.

Eyebrow growth serums are a popular product these days, but there are documented side effects from ingredients such as bimatoprost (Latisse), which is closely related to the prostaglandin family of hormones. Side effects can include redness, itchy eyes, eyelid discoloration, drooping eyelids, and more.

Other serums contain minoxidil (Rogaine), a vasodilator medication that treats hair loss and high blood pressure. Side effects may include skin irritation, unwanted hair growth if the solution spreads to other parts of the face, and decreased visual acuity if it comes into contact with the eyes.

If you want to try an eyebrow growth serum, shop carefully to select the right product for your skin type and follow the instructions. eyebrow stylist Joey Healy suggested some serum shopping tips. “Avoid those that contain hormones, which can have some strange side effects, like irritation, dry or puffy eyes, dark circles and darkening of the eyelids,” he said. “You want to avoid hormones commonly listed as prostaglandins. Instead, opt for serums that contain peptides.”

For many, though, serums are effective and problem-free. “In my opinion, serums really work,” Feldman said. “As well as castor oil and massaging the area. But first, make sure you put down the tweezers and let it grow out.”

Makeup artist Jessica Candace takes a two-step approach. “Have a solid growth routine at night and a solid makeup routine during the day,” she said. She saw this work for herself, as she transitioned from over-plucked eyebrows as a teenager to ones she was able to “bring back to life” in her 40s. “For the evening, I suggest a solid growth product like Lumify eyelash and eyebrow serum (which does not contain prostaglandins) together with cold pressed organic castor oil,” she said.

“Also apply it to your lashes and brush the products in every night,” she said. “You will see the difference in a matter of weeks.”

What to do while waiting for these products to work? Candage has this advice: “Brush on brow gel to fluff them up and help create some density.” Your favorites include Milk Makeup Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel and Patrick Ta major eyebrow shaping wax.”

Next, she suggested using an eyebrow pencil to create small hair-like strokes. “The goal is to have a natural eyebrow and that’s why I love the Maybelline Express Brow Ultra-Fine Eyebrow Pencil. For even thinner brow strokes, try the NYX Lift & Snatch Eyebrow Pen. These two products will have you looking like Brooke Shields in no time.”

Healy suggested using powder to fill in your brows. “It works by creating a shadow on the skin behind the eyebrow and is a very realistic way to add some density,” he said. If you’re thinking about tinting or dyeing your eyebrows, he suggested consulting a professional. “This helps every hair show, even the peach fuzz behind your eyebrows,” he said, adding that most people will want eyebrows a shade lighter than their hair color.

Another possible option is eyebrow laminationsuggested the makeup artist Nina Soriano. “It’s always a wonderful treatment that is not permanent, unlike microblading,” she said, referring to the semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing technique that uses a blade-shaped tool with small needles to create the appearance of fuller, more defined eyebrows. . “With lamination, you can relax your brow and position it upwards to give it a fuller, thicker appearance. Combine this with a good eyebrow pencil and powder combo and you’ll have fuller brows.

Dr. Regine J. Mathieu offered a warning about some popular treatments. “I would caution against tattooing or microblading eyebrows because I have a lot of patients who are unhappy with the results,” said the dermatologist. “Remember that laser tattoo removal can be a time-consuming and painful process.”

“Taking care of your eyebrows and seeing a true eyebrow expert is critical to the health and thickness of your eyebrows,” Dresher said. “Although genetics and natural aging cannot be controlled, we can completely camouflage hair loss in the eyebrow area with many excellent products, treatments and techniques.”