Do Eyebrows Grow Back? The 5 Things You Need to Do

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Q: Hi there, I recently discovered your blog and it's one of the most helpful, well-written and well-designed beauty blogs that I've found. I noticed you are not a fan of the pencil-thin nineties eyebrow. Full brows have been in for a while, and I'm hoping you can offer advice for those of us who may have made the mistake of over-plucking our brows a while back, or who naturally have a thin/sparse brow line. 

How does one grow back their eyebrows? Unlike the hair on our head, brows don't grow back as quickly. I also wish someone warned me when I was a teen in the '90s to not over-pluck my brows. I'm in my 30s, and my brows are STILL not quite back to what they once were.

I read somewhere that in order to get your brows back, you should not pluck them, at all, for a year. If that's the case, then I'm fine with having messy brows for a full year and then paying a pro to clean them up!

Any good non-prescription serums out there to speed hair growth? I just bought Lash Accelerator Serum from Rimmel and have only been using it for three weeks on my brows, so it's too early to see results. The only other serum I have tried was Physicians Formula's lash-boosting serum, which was a waste of money for me. Thanks so much! — Haka

Angelina Jolie at the 2002 Golden Globe Awards.

A: Excellent, questions, Haka! 

For all things brow-related, I trust Mary Dang of Eye Love Brow & Beauty Bar in Toronto. (She is ONLY person who touches my eyebrows now!) 

I've asked her to give us some tips on the best way to grow back over-plucked brows… over to you, Mary!

Brow expert Mary Dang of Eye Love Brow & Beauty Bar.

Be Patient

It may seem like it is taking a long time to grow out your brows, but be patient. They will eventually grow in. 

Each person has a different grow rate. It can take three to six months, even a year, for slow-growing brows.

Your eyebrow follicles just need to be reminded to grow hair, and the best way to do that is to… 

Keep Your Hands Off

If you are planning to grow in your eyebrows, then actually let them grow in. Do not pull any hairs out. 

If you find your brows look messy during the grow-out process, you can use waxes or mascaras to hold them in place for a more groomed look.

Givenchy Mister Eyebrow.

Avoid staring too closely at your brows in magnifying mirrors, which can bring on the temptation to tweeze.

Consider Brow-Growth Serums

There are a lot of growth serums on the market that are effective, however, I haven't used any of them personally. Some of my clients have seen results. 

RapidBrow Eyebrow Enhancing Serum.

Three weeks is too soon to tell if the product is working… give it eight weeks.

One strange thing my clients have noticed with growth serums is that your eyebrow hairs grow long! 

Plus, if you stop using a growth serum, then your brows will revert back to their original size… so be wary.

Encourage Natural Hair Growth

As an alternative to brow-growth serums, consider increasing your Omega intake.

Also try brushing your brows regularly.

Both may encourage and stimulate natural hair growth.

Visit a Pro

After three to six months of growing in your eyebrows, seek out a professional to establish a proper shape for your face. 

This will keep you on the right track. You should have maintenance visits every two months. 

If you must maintain your brows yourself, don't be over-eager and tweeze too close to the brow line. Always err on the side of keeping the hairs, not taking them away.

I hope this helps!

Mary Dang is one of Canada's top brow experts and the owner of Eye Love Brow & Beauty Bar at 793 Queen Street West (2nd Floor) in Toronto.