Thin Brows After 40? Dermatologists Share 4 Ways To Grow Thicker, Healthier Brows Fast
Plus find out what could be causing sparse spots, including perimenopause, thyroid issues and more
Key Takeaways
- Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can cause thinning eyebrows.
- Thyroid disorders, nutritional deficiencies and skin conditions can also thin brows.
- Gentle grooming, proper nutrition and certain treatments may help grow healthy new hair.
When you experience hair loss or thinning on your head, it could be weeks before you actually notice a difference in your appearance. But thin brows? Sparse areas tend to draw your attention fast, especially since many of us consider eyebrows one of the most important features for framing your face. Fortunately, you’re not resigned to living with skinny brows. Here, experts are sharing their best tips to grow thicker, healthier brows fast.
Why our eyebrows matter
“Eyebrows serve many important purposes beyond how they make our faces look,” says Ariel Ostad, MD, FACS, a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon and an associate clinical professor at NYU. “One of their main jobs is to protect our eyes. They do this by helping to keep sweat, rain and moisture from running directly into our eyes. Their curved shape and the direction of the brow hairs help guide moisture toward the sides of the face instead. Eyebrows can also catch some dust and small particles before they reach the eye area, although eyelashes provide a more direct protective barrier.”
What causes thin brows?
If you have no problem growing hair on other parts of your body, but it seems like your eyebrows rarely cooperate, it’s not in your head. Eyebrows actually grow differently from other types of hair on our bodies.
“Every hair on your body grows from a tiny structure in the skin called a hair follicle, which I describe as the miniature factory that produces each strand of hair,” explains Nupur Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Luma Dermatology in Clearwater, FL. “Unlike scalp hair, which can remain in its active growth phase for several years, eyebrow hairs have a much shorter growth phase, typically lasting just a few weeks.”
Dr. Patel says thin brows can be caused by health conditions such as:
- Thyroid disorders, including an underactive and overactive thyroid
- Alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy hair follicles
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia, an inflammatory condition that can cause permanent eyebrow loss and a slowly receding hairline
- Nutritional deficiencies, such as low iron levels, inadequate protein intake and certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies
- Skin conditions, like psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and eczema
Perimenopause and menopause can thin brows too
“Estrogen levels begin fluctuating during perimenopause and eventually decline, which can affect how hair grows and how long it stays in its growth phase,” explains Dr. Ostad. “Estrogen helps support normal hair growth, so lower levels may contribute to shorter growth cycles and less noticeable regrowth.”
Aging also plays a role in thinner eyebrows, adds Dr. Ostad. “The hairs themselves may also become finer with age, making the eyebrows appear less dense even when some follicles are still producing hair,” he explains. “Women may first notice thinning toward the outer ends of their eyebrows or find that areas they used to fill in occasionally now need makeup every day.”
How to regrow thick, natural brows
The good news is that there are steps you can take to help regrow thin brows caused by aging and hormonal changes like perimenopause and menopause. “I approach eyebrow regrowth from two perspectives,” says Dr. Patel. “First, identifying what’s causing the thinning, and second, creating the best possible environment for healthy hair growth.”
So if your doctor has ruled out any underlying medical causes, like low iron or thyroid issues, the next step is creating the best possible environment for healthy eyebrow growth. Here are Dr. Patel’s top four tips:
Give your brows a grooming vacation
Dr. Patel says it’s time to put the tweezers down. “I recommend taking a break from unnecessary plucking, waxing, threading and aggressive brow treatments while you’re trying to regrow your natural eyebrows,” she adds. “If you absolutely need to tidy them, limit removal to obvious stray hairs rather than reshaping areas that are already sparse. Every time you remove a hair from the root, you’re interrupting that follicle’s growth cycle and potentially adding more trauma.”
Try a brow growth treatment
“Depending on the cause of thinning, your dermatologist may recommend treatments such as topical minoxidil or prescription bimatoprost,” says Dr. Patel. “Minoxidil is a medication that can stimulate hair growth, while bimatoprost is a medication best known for helping eyelashes grow. These medications influence hair growth through different mechanisms and may improve eyebrow density in certain patients whose follicles remain functional.”
Dr. Patel notes that neither minoxidil nor bimatoprost is FDA-approved specifically for eyebrow regrowth, but your doctor may be able to prescribe them off-label. You can find minoxidil (brand name Rogaine) over-the-counter—it’s even available at Costco—while bimatoprost is a prescription eye drop you’ll need to get from your doctor.
Eat these foods
Your diet plays a key role in helping fill in sparse brows. “Focus on a balanced diet with adequate protein, iron, zinc and other essential nutrients,” says Dr. Patel. “I encourage patients to prioritize protein-rich foods such as eggs, fish, poultry, beans and lentils, along with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Hair follicles contain some of the body’s actively growing cells, and they require adequate nutrients to produce healthy hair.”
Treat your thin brows with care
Dr. Patel describes the skin barrier as a natural protective layer, explaining that when it becomes inflamed or irritated, it can create an unhealthy environment for hair follicles.
“Cleanse the eyebrow area gently, remove makeup without excessive rubbing, and avoid harsh exfoliants or strong chemical treatments directly over irritated skin,” says Dr. Patel. “If the skin around your brows is dry or sensitive, use a simple, fragrance-free moisturizer to support the skin barrier.”
“My advice is to treat thinning brows like delicate, damaged hair, minimize trauma, reduce unnecessary chemical processing and give the follicles a chance to recover,” adds Dr. Patel.
How long does it take for eyebrows to grow back?
If you’re doing everything you can to support a healthy environment for eyebrow growth but find it’s taking a little longer than you expected, know that doesn’t mean your eyebrows aren’t growing. “If the thinning is related to hormonal changes, some women may notice new growth within three to four months,” explains Dr. Ostad. “For others, it can take six months or longer to see a difference.”
The bottom line on treating thin brows
There are a number of reasons your eyebrows could be thinning, including everything from skin conditions and thyroid problems to, yes, the hormonal changes associated with perimenopause and menopause. But what matters most is identifying and treating the root cause first, then taking smaller steps to support healthy brow hair growth. And now you know how to do just that.
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