Why do an eyebrow transplant? Why are eyebrows so important?
Eyebrows are an essential part of the face because they contribute to its symmetry and beauty. Natural-looking brows soften other facial features. They impact expression and personality and help people communicate their thoughts and feelings to others.
It has been said that “the eyes are the windows to a person’s soul.” That is why people look a person in the eye when talking to each other. Maybe they can glimpse their soul, or what they really have in mind. And so it is said, “eyebrows and eyelashes are bandages for the eyes.” Thus, the eyebrows and eyelashes give an attractiveness to the eye. They help to give beauty to the eyes and enhance the face.
Today’s fashion dictates which brow look is on or off. Actresses, models, and celebrities seem to inspire a certain style, making certain eyebrow shapes and sizes popular. Julia Roberts inspired the look of round, thick wide brows with a low arch. Jennifer Lopez inspired the high-bow, medium-width, smooth-angled look. Britney Spears inspired the low arched, medium width, soft angled brow. Cindy Crawford inspired the look of low arched, thick wide and gently angled brows. The inspirations go on and on.
Hair loss on the eyebrows has many causes that require restoration:
- Excessive waxing and tweezing by women trying to reshape the forehead
- Burns, radiation therapy, chemotherapy
- Trichotillomania: self-inflicted obsessive compulsive hair removal
- Heredity factors: relative has the same eyebrow hair loss
- Local or systemic disease
- Physical trauma: a scar must be camouflaged
- The eyebrows of men and women can lose their shape and density with age, necessitating a hair transplant to give them a more youthful appearance around their eyes.
Some people will not be satisfied with the eyebrows they have and will want a cosmetic enhancement. They may have thinning or the hair is too fine and somewhat transparent. Loss of eyebrow hair can make a person feel self-conscious or lower their self-esteem. It is amazing how a hair restoration procedure can restore appearance and self confidence.
How is everything done and what should the patient expect?
Eyebrow transplantation can return live, growing hair to the brow area. With an oral sedative and local anesthesia, the procedure is comfortable, painless, and takes 3-4 hours in the office / outpatient setting. Part of this time is spent waiting for the technician, with the help of a microscope and jeweler’s forceps, to dissect individual hair follicles in preparation for implantation. While the patient waits, DVD movies are sometimes played for the patient. Hair follicles (100-350 per eyebrow) from the back of the scalp (donor area) are harvested and then implanted into the eyebrows in groups of 1 and sometimes 2 seconds. . Stitches are used to close the donor area, which are undetectable and must be removed in 7-10 days.
The implanted follicles (like the seeds of a plant) will grow and produce hair permanently. The newly grown eyebrow hair will have the same characteristics as the hair on the scalp. Eyebrows will need to be trimmed routinely every 2 weeks and will require a hair care and brow care gel. – There will probably be some hairs that will not lie flat enough or will point in the wrong direction. It is recommended that makeup be kept to an absolute minimum during the immediate postoperative healing period (4-5 days).
Some patients may require an additional brow transplant session to refine or enhance their brow. The transplanted eyebrow hair will normally start to grow in 6-12 weeks, with a full cosmetic result achieved in approximately ten months. The patient is required to have transportation to and from the office so that adequate anesthesia can be administered.
Eyebrow transplantation and permanent makeup.
Many patients choose a combination of permanent makeup (tattoos) and eyebrow transplantation to achieve a more defined brow appearance. Eyebrow transplantation provides a natural three-dimensional appearance to eyebrows created with permanent makeup.