How To Actually Grow Eyebrows Back: Topicals, Tips & More

Besides stocking up on brow products to recreate your now-missing brows, is there anything else you can do to get your eyebrows back?

It might not be what you want to hear, but the answer is it depends. If you've had a momentary lapse in beauty judgment and gone pluck-happy with your eyebrows or been the victim of an overly aggressive waxer, there's a pretty good chance that those lost hairs will come back given time. 

But sometimes other underlying factors can also affect how long it takes for your brows to grow back. Specifically, Rachel Lee Lozina, an esthetician and the founder of Blue Water Spa & Boutique, notes that some women may experience even slower regrowth phases as "hair growth cycles can slow dramatically after menopause." 

There are multiple reasons you may be losing hairs:

As with the rest of the hair on your body, your eyebrows have growth cycles. So, don't expect to see those missing hairs pop up instantly a few days after plucking. Yates notes that "eyebrows have a three- to four-month growth cycle, so you need to wait at least two to three months to see if they will regrow after you stop plucking them." 

This might not be the news you want to hear, but just like when you want to grow out a questionable haircut (bad bangs anyone?), only time will correct your crimes against brows. Thankfully, there are tips to help encourage brow growth or to aid in thickening your brows that don't include a brow pencil or brow soap. Some are topical products you can manage at home, while more sophisticated solutions may require a trip to a dermatologist or trained esthetician: 

Additionally, antioxidants can help the hair follicle with free radicals. See hair ages with free radicals and oxidative stress2. And since hair thins as it ages, you can potentially keep the strands healthier with antioxidants. If you already have an antioxidant serum in your skin care arsenal, you can just make sure you cover the brows with it as well. 

Unsurprisingly, getting better hair anywhere on your body isn't limited to topical remedies. According to Anna Phillips, the founder and CIO of The Lash Lounge, "Make sure you're getting enough protein in your diet. Brow hairs are made of mostly protein, and they need protein to grow." Similarly, healthy hair needs essential vitamins like A, B's like biotin, C, and D and nutrients like zinc and iron to thrive. Incorporate foods rich in these nutrients to boost hair growth. 

As board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., says, "PRP is an all-natural option because it uses growth factors derived from your own blood. The growth factors act like fertilizer for your skin cells and hair follicles to help them behave to the best of their ability." Note, you'll need to go to either a physician or a trained esthetician for this as you can't perform PRP at home. 

Anyone who's ever spent time in an eyebrow threader's chair knows that if you have thin brows your threader will recommend you use castor oil. While the scientific research supporting the link between castor oil and hair growth is thin, anecdotal evidence of this natural oil being used for centuries as a hair healer is strong. Even Natalie Aguilar, an LA-based dermatological nurse and celebrity aesthetician, notes that many of her clients swear by castor oil. 

In most cases, brow loss comes down to human error. So, think before you pluck! But if you occasionally get carried away with your tweezers, patience and a good brow product are the best solutions as you wait for your brows to come back.