August 18, 2025, 6:03 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Just like the hair on your head, eyebrows can also fall out. FITBOOK explains the various possible causes and what affected individuals can do.
Why Do Eyebrows Fall Out?
Some women notice as they age that their eyebrows don’t grow back as strongly. This can be because the hair follicles reduce their activity—spontaneous “hairstyle” whims, such as very thinly plucked eyebrows, become risky at a certain point. Others experience their existing eyebrows simply falling out.
Deficiencies and Diseases
The most common reason for eyebrows specifically falling out is a nutrient deficiency. A blood test can clarify which trace elements, minerals, or vitamins are lacking in your diet. Especially, a zinc deficiency can manifest with various symptoms. As an immediate measure, taking supplements containing biotin and omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial.
Additionally, there are various diseases where eyebrow loss is one of several possible symptoms. Thyroid dysfunctions can also trigger such symptoms. The term “Ulerythema ophryogenes” refers to a rare, pathological skin keratinization disorder that primarily affects the eyebrow area. In affected individuals, the hair follicles atrophy, resulting in the loss of all eyebrows. This skin condition usually occurs in children and fades into young adulthood.1
Circular Hair Loss
There is hair loss that is limited to the eyebrows—a form of the so-called Alopecia Areata, or circular hair loss. It is an autoimmune disease with various subtypes. In some, only the hair on the head is affected, in others (also) the hair in the eyebrow and eyelash area, and in others—such as Alopecia Universalis—affected individuals lose hair all over their body.
Why don’t eyebrows fall out with “normal” hair loss?
The most common form of hair loss in women is called androgenetic alopecia. Here, certain hair roots are overly sensitive to a type of the hormone testosterone. The eyebrows are not affected—only the genetically predisposed hair roots on the head react.
Eyebrow Loss: Treatment
There is no standard treatment for eyebrow loss. As previously explained, the causes can vary, and identifying them should be the basis of treatment.
There is no cure for Alopecia Areata yet. Symptomatic therapy approaches offer no guarantee of relief. One option is to weaken or modify the immune system with medication to interrupt the typical course of the autoimmune disease. Another approach is to try to distract the immune system through slight injuries created with special tinctures, prompting an antibody reaction and allowing the hair roots to regenerate.2
Nutrition for Fuller Hair (and Eyebrows)
Biotin plays a crucial role in hair and skin metabolism. There are biotin-rich gummies for beautiful hair and skin, but you can also increase biotin intake through a simple dietary change. The B-complex vitamin is found in soybeans, peanuts, peas, eggs, carrots, spinach, and bananas. Additionally, fatty fish contain biotin, as do whole milk, oatmeal, and brown rice.
Depending on the severity of eyebrow loss and, naturally, depending on the cause, hair-building measures through diet may not be effective.
Eyebrow Serums and Growth Products
Eyebrow serums contain substances that activate hair roots and are intended to stimulate natural eyebrow growth. They can also be used for eyelashes, or “eyelash serums” can be used for eyebrows. After about ten weeks, sparse, patchy eyebrows should appear somewhat fuller—especially if the products contain growth-promoting hormones. However, potential health side effects are not yet sufficiently clarified.
Beauty Treatments for Lost Eyebrows
In the medium term, eyebrow pencils and powders can help conceal a lot. There are also numerous cosmetic treatments to make eyebrow loss a thing of the past long-term. A less elaborate option than eyebrow transplantation is microblading. In this process, lost eyebrow hairs are traced with a micro scalpel into the top layer of skin and filled in with color.