As we get older, there’s no denying that our hair starts to slowly feel thinner. Our hair becomes finer and thinner over time, and our lashes and brows become more sparse.
It’s a natural part of the aging process, much like the fine lines and wrinkles you start noticing when you look in the mirror.
Why Do We Lose Our Eyebrows?
For many women, thinning eyebrows result from excessive waxing or over-tweezing at some point in their lives. Beauty trends have shifted from the pencil-thin eyebrows of the ‘90s to the soft, soapy brows you might see on your social media feeds today.
Aside from over-tweezing, there are several other reasons why your eyebrows have become thinner.
Aging Hair Follicles
As we age, so does our hair. It begins to lose its natural pigment and becomes finer and thinner. Menopause can cause drastic changes to our hair, from increased frizziness to more fragile strands. Curly hair can even start to lose its natural curl.
Menopause and Thinning Eyebrows
After menopause, our bodies naturally begin to produce less of the hormone prostaglandin, the hormone that stimulates eyebrow growth. Any sudden changes in hormones can also cause our hair to become thinner and finer, which is why you may notice a difference in your hair during postpartum or menopause.
Diet
It’s no secret that our diet can affect every part of our bodies. Thinning eyebrows could be a sign that your diet is missing key nutrients like iron and zinc. A healthy, balanced diet full of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids can help reduce hair loss and aid in regrowth. If you suspect that vitamin deficiencies could be causing hair loss, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement routines.
How to Cope With Thinning Eyebrows After Menopause
Although it’s impossible to stop the effects of aging on our hair, there are steps you can take to prevent hair loss and preserve your eyebrows. From eyebrow serums to microblading, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can make your brows look fuller and healthier.
Avoid Excessive Grooming
It can be tempting to pick up the tweezers or book a waxing appointment when we feel unhappy with our brows, but damaging our hair follicles can cause the hair to never grow back. Avoiding waxing, tweezing, or threading can prevent future hair follicle damage, but if you’re not ready to embrace your natural brows yet, try to wait a little longer between grooming appointments and use eyebrow razors when you need a touch-up.
If you have to tweeze, wax, or thread, avoid pulling hair directly on your brow bone. As a rule of thumb, try to remove hairs only above or below your natural brow line.
Eyebrow Serums
Brow serums are designed to help enhance the thickness of brow hairs and stimulate hair growth. Despite the hype on social media, don’t expect any trendy brow serums to work overnight—it can take up to six months of regular use to see long-term results. However, eyebrow hairs have a shorter growth cycle than the hairs on your head, so that you may see some improvement within a few weeks.
Here’s what you should look for in an eyebrow serum:
- Peptides: Peptides are a synthetic chain of amino acids that helps to boost the production of keratin and collagen.
- Biotin or Keratin: Both biotin and keratin are known for helping maintain hair growth and keep strands healthy.
- Fatty Acids: Fatty acids like B vitamins, lipids, or panthenol, are popular ingredients for conditioning brows and making them appear fuller.
- Fruit or seed oils: Some fruit or seed oils like castor oil or avocado oil can help moisturize hairs and promote hair strength.
Fake Fuller Brows With Makeup
Brow pencils, powders, and gels can help you achieve a brow look you love. You can use these products to define the arch in your brow, fill in sparse areas, and make your eyebrows appear fuller than they really are. Online makeup tutorials or classes can help you determine which products work best for you and teach you how to get your desired brow look.
If your brow hairs have started turning gray, makeup can help you camouflage the hair. If your usual color seems a little too dark, try opting for a gray hue— gray is considered to be a universal brow shade that can help you add texture to your brows or fill in any sparse areas.
Microblading
If you aren’t a fan of applying makeup or need a convenient timesaver, microblading is a semi-permanent solution that will leave you with beautiful brows. The process is similar to getting a permanent tattoo, but microblading uses needles and super-fine pigments to create thin, hairlike strokes that can look a little more natural. Microblading can last up to 3 years, but you will probably need to go in a touch-up about a year after your initial appointment.
Whether you decide to embrace your natural beauty or enhance it with carefully crafted brows, remember that brow trends are constantly changing. Play around with different products or brow enhancements until you find the one that works best for you and your lifestyle.
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