For the last year, I’ve been noticing my eyebrows seem different than before - they seem skimpier. The edges of my eyebrows are pretty much gone (the edges by my outer eye), and I have been noticing some areas of my eyebrows that seem really thin - like there’s just not enough hair growing there. As you know, I get my eyebrows waxed, so initially I thought maybe my waxer was a little aggressive and pulled too many hairs. However, there are a few different causes of thinning eyebrows:

Waxing can cause permanent hair loss
I’ve always heard about how your eyebrow hairs can stop growing in, or will grow in slower, if you get them waxed all the time. I’ve been getting my eyebrows waxed for about 8 years, and while I used to need them redone every 6 weeks, now I can go 4 months (I’ll pluck a stray hair here or there) without needing them waxed again. Maybe after all these years my hair follicles are getting permanently damaged.

Have you heard of Traction Alopecia? That’s a type of hair loss that happens when your hair is constantly being pulled on a daily basis, and after a while it starts to fall out, and it may not come back. Ballerinas (who wear their hair in tight buns) sometimes develop this problem, and women that wear their hair in tight ponytails or tight braids all the time, can also have this problem. People that have a disorder where they pull their hair out all the time (Trichotillomania) may also suffer permanent hair loss.

Apparently long term eyebrow waxing can also cause a similar effect. I never really thought this was possible, but now that my hair is taking months to come back in, I’m going to be a little more conservative about how much of my eyebrows I wax. Now that I can see my hair growth really is slowing down, I do believe waxing can cause permanent hair loss. I guess there is the possibility, though, that the hair could come back eventually if left alone.

Thyroid disorders can cause thinning eyebrows
For several years I have suspected I have a mild case of Hypothyroid, a very common disorder than I would estimate effects 10% of women, and probably a higher percentage of older women. Even Oprah has finally discovered she’s Hypothyroid. I have been to several doctors, and have not yet taken any thyroid medication, because I am being cautious since I’m on the borderline of needing it. It turns out, though, that one symptom of Hypothyroid is having thinning eyebrows, and specifically missing the outer third of your eyebrows! If you have this issue, and are having other health problems, read up on Hypothyroid, and then consult your doctor if you think you may have a thyroid problem.

Testing for, and treating Hypothyroid is complicated, and the reason I haven’t gone on medication is because I’m afraid it will make my hair fall out. The irony is that being Hypothyroid can also cause your hair to fall out! I will probably get another round of blood work done soon, and then will consider taking Armour, which I don’t believe has hair loss as a side effect.