Why Are My Eyebrows Falling Out?

Are you having issues with your eyebrows falling out? It can be alarming to have hair suddenly start to fall out, especially when it’s in a noticeable area.

Eyebrow hair loss is known as eyebrow hypotrichosis or eyebrow madarosis. It may appear as hair thinning or actual missing patches of hair. It affects both men and women.¹

In order to help your brows look the way they used to your doctor can determine what is causing your hair loss.

Read on to learn about the possible causes of thinning eyebrows.

Is Eyebrow Hair Loss Unavoidable With Age?

As we age, your rate of hair growth starts to slow down. Some hair follicles simply stop producing hair, so brows may start to look thinner than they once did.²

Another aging issue associated with hair loss is changing hormones – especially in women.

The same hormonal issues that can cause scalp hair loss can also lead to the thinning of the brows.

For women, it can be the loss of their reproductive hormones during menopause. Hormonal changes and stress of pregnancy or childbirth can upset the hair growth cycle. This is known as androgenetic alopecia.³

What Can Lead To The Loss of Eyebrow Hair?

Issues on the surface of the skin can also cause thinning eyebrows. This is because hair requires a clear route out of the skin if it’s going to grow effectively.

Dry or irritated skin can hinder the exit of the hair from the follicle. This can result in excessive rubbing and itching which can cause the hair to break off.⁴

What Other Conditions Can Lead To Eyebrows Falling Out?

Aside from topical skin conditions and too much rubbing, other things can lead to hair loss of lashes and brows.

Some of these problems include:

• Stress — Telogen effluvium is when hair falls out after a stressful experience. Surgery, childbirth, or a serious illness may cause telogen effluvium.⁵
• Fibrosing Alopecia – is a slowly progressive hair loss issue which can cause scarring on the front of the scalp near the forehead. It can also affect the eyelids and cause the eyebrows and eyelashes to fall out.⁷
• Thyroid Conditions – An overactive or underactive thyroid can cause hair loss issues like alopecia areata. This condition causes hair loss but most cases are temporary.⁸

Can Nutrition Affect Eyebrow Hair Loss?

Yes, extreme vitamin and mineral deficiencies can trigger eyebrows and eyelashes falling out. This is because the body requires nutrients to support hair growth and function.

Vitamins and minerals that appear to be essential in supporting healthy scalp hair and eyebrows include:

• Biotin (Vitamin B7)
• Zinc deficiency
• Iron deficiency
• Fatty acids^9-11

The best thing you can do to support healthy hair is to eat a whole food diet rich in plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. This ensures that you’re getting a wide variety of essential nutrients into your diet at all times.

You may also try taking a supplement or using a topical serum that assist the body’s natural hair growth process.

How to Manage Eyebrow Hair Loss

The most effective management for any kind of hair loss is acting early, so don’t wait to talk with your doctor or dermatologist.

Learn More:
Finding Moles In Your Scalp and Hair – Causes and Treatments
How To: Chemical-Free Hair Dyeing Methods

Sources
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6054329/
2.https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004005.htm
3.https://www.americanhairloss.org/women_hair_loss/causes_of_hair_loss.html
4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358936/#ref75
5.https://www.aocd.org/page/telogeneffluviumha
6.https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer/physical-emotional-and-social-effects-cancer/managing-physical-side-effects/hair-loss-or-alopecia
7.http://www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/patient-information-leaflets/frontal-fibrosing-alopecia/?showmore=1&returnlink=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bad.org.uk%2Ffor-the-public%2Fpatient-information-leaflets#.XUXpapJKg64
8.http://www.btf-thyroid.org/information/109-hair-loss-and-thyroid-disorders
9.https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-Consumer/
10.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358936/#ref75
11.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16635664