Dear Doctor
I’m a 23 year old male who is facing eyebrow loss. The loss is gradual and it started a long time ago … comparing past pictures of me I can see that the loss is increasing. The loss is on the outer side of both eyebrows.
I had a blood test and non of the hormones was out of range. I’m always under stress … my sleep intervals are very disorganized as well …
Is the loss permanent? Any suggestions for treatment?
Dear Patient
Your picture is suggestive of a condition known as Alopecia Areata.
This condition is not caused by hormones. It is an autoimmune disease which means that cells from the immune system attack the hair follicles and cause hair loss.
It is hard to say whether the loss is permanent because many patients with alopecia areata experience spontaneous remissions. This means that the hair begins growing without treatment.
Treatment suggestions for eyebrow alopecia areata include:
1. Using an eyebrow pencil to help conceal the hair loss. Consider consulting a professional makeup artist so that they can teach you how to apply the makeup so that it looks natural.
2. Dermatography or micro-pigmentation is another option. This consists of having an eyebrow tatoo which lasts for 1 to 3 years. One study found that dermatography was a good option for treating eyebrow alopecia areata.
3. Minoxidil 5% is also used to treat alopecia areata affecting the eyebrows.
