• On Good Things Utah this morning – Eyebrows play several crucial roles. They frame your face and help you express emotions, like surprise, happiness and anger. They also help protect your eyes from moisture and light. But as you get older, you may notice your eyebrows start to look a little wispy. “It is true that most people will develop sparse eyebrows as they age,” New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lian Mack told HuffPost. “With age, the eyebrow hair follicles become senescent, often producing thinner, finer hairs.”
    • Around the time you reach your 40s, your levels of the hormones estrogen or testosterone start to decline. And with that comes hair thinning and hair loss. Along with your hair’s natural reaction to aging, several other factors can cause your eyebrows to thin. “It may be related to age, over-plucking, treatments like chemotherapy, thyroid disease, hormonal fluctuations or an unbalanced diet,” Mack said. Dermatologists say there are several ways to deal with thinning eyebrows, including at-home remedies and doctor’s office treatments. Here’s how to handle sparse eyebrows.
    • Why do your eyebrows get thinner as you age?
      • The natural aging process affects the hair-growth cycle, said Dr. Ife Rodney, a board-certified dermatologist. This can decrease eyebrow density and thickness. “Aging can also cause a decrease in the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color, resulting in lighter and sparser eyebrows,” Rodney said. Hormonal changes, including a drop in estrogen and testosterone, can contribute to the problem. Nutrient deficiencies, including of vitamin A, vitamin B7 (biotin), zinc and iron, can slow hair growth. Thyroid disease may lead to eyebrow hair loss and skin conditions, like eczema or psoriasis, or the autoimmune disease alopecia areata could affect your eyebrows. Genetics play a role, too. Mack said the number of hair follicles you have and your eyebrow thickness are genetically predetermined. “If an individual is starting out with fewer eyebrow hairs, it may simply appear as if they are losing hairs more rapidly than someone who biologically has more hairs from birth and is of a similar age,” she explained. And if you’re prone to genetic hair loss, you might be more likely to experience thinning eyebrows, Rodney said.
    • How to slow eyebrow thinning.
      • Keep a healthy diet that’s rich in antioxidants, including a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.
      • Take vitamin E, biotin and iron supplements to speed up hair growth.
      • Avoid overplucking.
      • Apply sunscreen to your eyebrows, as UV rays can damage sensitive hair follicles.
      • Avoid using scrubs or other skin care and cosmetics with harsh chemicals and opt for all-natural products.
      • Use a serum to encourage eyebrow growth (see more below).
      • Talk to your dermatologist about the best course of action.
  • We hope you join us for this Hot Topic and so much more this morning on GTU!