There are many reasons why you may want to grow out your eyebrows.
Maybe you plucked or waxed too much, and they’re growing back slowly. In other cases, thinning eyebrows may be caused by things like stress, aging, or certain health conditions.
In most cases, you can grow your eyebrows back. It just takes some time.
Generally, if your eyebrows are sparse from overplucking and not from a health condition, you can expect them to grow back within a year, but you should start to see some growth within 2 to 3 months.
In extreme cases, some people may opt for
1. Tweeze carefully
To see eyebrow growth, you need to be very careful with your existing hairs. It’s OK to clean up stray hairs, but don’t tweeze too much. Make sure the tweezers you’re using are sharp and precise.
It may seem counterintuitive, but avoid tweezing in bright, overhead light. This can result in overtweezing because you can see every hair.
It’s also a good idea to tweeze after a shower when the hair is soft and pliable, which avoids breakage.
2. Try a serum
There are many brow serums on the market that claim to help with eyebrow growth.
Bimatoprost, also known as Latisse, is a prescription that’s designed for eyelash growth, though it may also be used on the eyebrows, as one
3. Use Rogaine
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is intended to regrow hair on the scalp (and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the scalp). But if your doctor says it’s safe to do so, you could try using it on your eyebrows to help with regrowth.
You’ll need to be extremely careful to avoid getting any into your eyes, as Rogaine could burn them.
For this method to be effective, you have to be very diligent about using it every day, or else it won’t be effective and could potentially make things worse.
4. Try saw palmetto
Saw palmetto is a berry that’s often used in teas or supplements, but it may be an option to use topically.
A small 2014 study found that a hair lotion containing saw palmetto did help promote hair growth.
Saw palmetto has been studied to treat urinary tract infections and prostate issues, but its effectiveness at treating hair loss hasn’t been widely studied.
5. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamins
In some cases, if you have a deficiency in certain nutrients, including biotin or iron, your hair may be slow growing.
While true biotin deficiencies are rare, if a healthcare professional says it’s OK, you could try a hair vitamin or supplement. It will likely contain biotin and other nutrients that may help with hair strength.
According to a small 2018 study, an oral supplement called Nutrafol effectively increased hair growth in women with thinning hair after taking it daily for 6 months. The supplement contains biotin, collagen, saw palmetto, and vitamins and minerals, among other ingredients.
It could work for eyebrows as well, but more research is needed. It’s important to note this study received funding from the supplement manufacturer.
Also, keep in mind that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the quality or purity of supplements, so you could get different concentrations of ingredients in each supplement batch.
6. Use castor oil
There’s no clinical research to support the idea that castor oil actually helps regrow hair.
Many people still try it, though. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence of people who claim castor oil helps them grow longer or thicker hair in a shorter amount of time than it would usually take.
Castor oil, or other natural oils like olive or avocado, can help keep the hair soft and pliable. It may prevent further breakage or damage, giving the appearance of fuller brows.
Certain conditions, including alopecia, eczema, or thyroid issues, may cause eyebrow hair loss. In cases where the hair loss has a medical cause, it’s best to talk with a healthcare professional about how to safely grow the hair back.
Chemotherapy may also cause hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, and anywhere else you have hair.
Certain nutrient deficiencies, like biotin and iron, may also cause thinning eyebrows.
The postpartum period, stress, or the natural course of aging can also affect hair, including the eyebrows. In the case of postpartum and stress, the hair will usually grow back on its own. You may want to consider filling in the eyebrows with a brow gel or pencil until they grow back.
If you have any other symptoms like achiness, fatigue, or headache in addition to hair loss, talk with a healthcare professional who can help find the root cause.
You can also consider talking with a beauty specialist. They can help you decide whether microblading, a tattoo-like procedure that fills in the eyebrows, is right for you.
There are many reasons you may notice thinning eyebrows. Brows may become more sparse as a result of aging, stress, or pregnancy. In some cases, hair thinning is a result of nutrient deficiencies or certain health conditions.
You can always use makeup to make the brows appear fuller, but if you’re looking to actually grow the hair back, it’s a bit more tricky.
Some people have luck with natural remedies like saw palmetto or castor oil. Others turn to biotin and other vitamins. You could also consider using a serum designed for brow or eyelash growth.