Eyebrows are one of the most important features for facial symmetry and framing your eyes. If you are a man who has lost their natural eyebrows, you may want to consider an eyebrow hair transplant to restore them.
Like scalp hair transplants, the procedure uses follicles to create thick and beautiful eyebrows. Here are a few things you should know before the procedure:
The Procedure
Eyebrow restoration is a cosmetic surgery done by professionals such as Bosley that involves the transfer of healthy hair follicles from the scalp to your eyebrow area. The result is thicker and fuller brows that will grow naturally, reducing the need for makeup or an eyebrow pencil. The procedure is typically performed using one of two methods: strip harvest or follicular unit transplantation.
During the procedure, anesthesia is used to numb the back of your head and the area around your eyebrows. Oral medications are also prescribed to improve your comfort during the surgery. Before starting the treatment, the surgeon will mark the shape of your eyebrows to ensure symmetry. The surgeon will also ask you about your desired outcome to help determine if an eyebrow transplant is right for you.
The follicles that will be transplanted into your brows are removed from the back of your head using either a strip harvest technique or a more advanced technique called NeoGraft, which removes follicles individually, leaving no linear scar on the scalp. The harvested follicles are then implanted into your eyebrows using a manual punch or a robotically powered device.
Once the transplanted follicles are placed, they will grow and shed over four to six weeks before growing again permanently. The procedure is an excellent option for anyone who has over-tweezed their brows or has had less-than-desirable results from other techniques, such as tattooing, microblading, or dyeing.
Recovery
The procedure is fairly straightforward, and it’s virtually painless in the hands of a good surgeon. The most common method is follicular unit transplantation (FUT), in which hair follicles are extracted from the scalp and reinserted into the eyebrow area to create full, thick eyebrows. Patients will be under some anesthesia or sedation to prevent discomfort during the procedure.
Eyebrow transplants are designed to restore growing hair in areas that have thinned or lost hair due to genetics, previous surgery or trauma, over-plucking, thyroid abnormalities, or other causes. They can also be useful in repairing scarring from accidents or surgery. Unlike other methods of making the eyebrows appear fuller, hair transplants use real scalp hair that can grow for a lifetime.
Using the FUE or FUT technique, a cosmetic surgeon will make small incisions in your scalp where the hair follicles will be harvested. These incisions can be camouflaged in your hairstyle or with makeup, making the final result look natural.
After the procedure, you will be asked to avoid exposing the grafted areas to moisture so they can heal properly. The doctor may prescribe medication to help with pain or inflammation and recommend saline sprays to keep the area moist. It’s important to follow the aftercare instructions exactly.
Results
An eyebrow transplant is a permanent solution for individuals that struggle with sparse or nonexistent eyebrows. It is a natural alternative to eyebrow growth serums, temporary solutions.
Eyebrow hair transplants are considered cosmetic, so insurance does not typically cover them. In some cases, however, if your eyebrow hair loss results from an illness like alopecia areata or trichotillomania, your insurance might cover some or all of the costs.
After the transplant, your brows will take some time to heal, but they will eventually look natural and full. It is important to avoid picking or removing the scabs on your brows during this healing process, as this could cause them to fall off. Following your doctor’s recovery instructions is essential to minimize swelling and redness.
Your eyebrows must also be trimmed and styled regularly to maintain their natural shape. This is particularly true if you have very textured or curly head hair. Keeping a spoolie and your favorite brow-enhancing products on hand is a good idea, so you can easily trim or tweak them when needed.
While some people choose to have an eyebrow hair transplant because they over-tweezed their brows or suffered from thinning due to genetics or aging, most individuals seek this treatment for more personal reasons. It is also an ideal option for those battling alopecia areata or an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss.
Precautions
Eyebrows are an extremely important feature of the face. They frame the eyes and can make a huge difference in how others perceive us. For this reason, eyebrow restoration is becoming increasingly popular. While there are other ways to add volume to the brows, such as eyebrow tattooing and microblading, these methods are more natural-looking than an eyebrow transplant.
An eyebrow transplant uses hair follicles directly from your scalp, meaning they will grow permanently. This is unlike the hair follicles used in tattooing and microblading, which will not grow after removal.
You will likely experience some swelling and redness during the first week after the procedure. It would help if you did not touch the scabs on your brows to avoid infection. Your doctor will provide a saline spray on the eyebrow area to promote healing.
Avoid picking at the scabs or using makeup on the eyebrow area is also a good idea. These scabs will fall off on their own after about two weeks, and once they do you can start to get back to your normal daily routine. If you are considering eyebrow hair restoration, consult a board-certified physician with ample experience and a portfolio to show for their work.
