Why are my eyebrows falling out?
Eyebrow hairs grow and shed in a cycle, just like scalp hair, so losing a few every day is normal. Thinning that you can see, gaps that appear suddenly, or eyebrows that have stopped growing back are different, and usually have a cause that can be found.
Eyebrow hair loss can affect men and women at any age. Its medical name is madarosis. What else is happening, especially to the hair on your head, is often the best clue.
The short answer
Eyebrows thin naturally with age, and years of plucking or waxing can stop them growing back. When eyebrows fall out more suddenly, common causes are an underactive thyroid, alopecia areata, frontal fibrosing alopecia, eczema and stress. Losing eyebrows with hair loss on your head is a clue worth having checked.
What causes eyebrow hair loss?
These are the most common causes. Some people have more than one.
Plucking, threading and waxing
Years of removing eyebrow hairs can damage the follicles, so they grow back thinner or not at all.
Ageing
Eyebrows naturally become sparser with age, often at the outer ends, especially after the menopause.
An underactive thyroid
Can cause thinning eyebrows, sometimes at the outer ends, with tiredness, weight gain and feeling cold. Thyroid hair loss.
Alopecia areata
An autoimmune condition that can cause smooth patches in the eyebrows, as well as on the scalp or beard. Alopecia areata.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia
Eyebrow loss is often the first sign, before the hairline starts to recede. Frontal fibrosing alopecia.
Eczema and dermatitis
Seborrhoeic dermatitis, eczema or a reaction to a brow product can make the brows red, flaky and itchy, and hairs fall out. Seborrhoeic dermatitis.
Stress and shedding
A stressful time, illness or low iron can cause shedding from the eyebrows as well as the scalp. Telogen effluvium.
Pulling
An urge to pull out eyebrow hairs. Trichotillomania.
Medical treatment
Chemotherapy and some other medicines can cause eyebrows to fall out. Cancer treatment and hair loss.
What your eyebrows can tell you
- Thinning at the outer ends, with tiredness or weight change: have your thyroid checked.
- A smooth, round gap: alopecia areata is likely.
- Eyebrow loss with a hairline moving back, especially after the menopause: frontal fibrosing alopecia needs a dermatologist.
- Red, flaky or itchy brows: eczema or seborrhoeic dermatitis.
- Gaps with broken hairs: pulling or over-plucking.
Eyebrow hair loss in men
Men lose eyebrow hair for the same reasons. Alopecia areata, which can also affect the beard, and thyroid problems are among the most common.
Will my eyebrows grow back?
Usually, yes, when the cause is temporary: shedding, a thyroid problem that’s treated, eczema that’s calmed or alopecia areata that settles. Eyebrow hair grows slowly, so it can take several months to fill in.
Eyebrows lost to frontal fibrosing alopecia, or after many years of plucking, may not grow back. Brow pencils, powders, tinting, microblading and brow tattooing can recreate their shape.
When to get help
If eyebrow loss is your only concern, start with your GP, who can check your thyroid and other common causes.
If you’re losing eyebrow hair along with hair on your head, I look at your eyebrows as part of a hair loss consultation, as they often help with the diagnosis. What happens at a consultation.
Questions about eyebrow hair loss
If yours isn’t here, send me a message and I’ll get back to you.
Why are my eyebrows thinning?
Ageing and years of plucking are the most common reasons. Sudden thinning can be caused by thyroid problems, alopecia areata, frontal fibrosing alopecia, eczema or stress.
Can a thyroid problem cause eyebrow loss?
Yes. An underactive thyroid can thin the eyebrows, sometimes at the outer ends. A blood test through your GP checks it.
Is eyebrow hair loss a sign of something serious?
Usually not, but eyebrow loss with a receding hairline, or with tiredness and weight change, should be checked.
Can stress make your eyebrows fall out?
Yes. Stress can trigger shedding that affects the eyebrows as well as the scalp, and some people pull at their brows when stressed.
Do eyebrows grow back after plucking?
Usually, if they haven’t been plucked for years. Long-term plucking can damage the follicles so they grow back thinner or not at all.
Let’s find out what’s going on
Book online at a time that suits you. If you have a question first, send me a message.