Eyebrow Hair Transplants Are On The Rise, But Are They Worth The Hype?
There are cosmetic procedures available for just about any area of your face, including your eyebrows. For brows that may be too thin from hair loss or excessive plucking, many have turned to filling them in with makeup or microblading. However, the latest trend for sparse brows is a procedure known as eyebrow transplants.
Similar to traditional hair transplants, the procedure involves taking individual hairs and hair follicles from the nape of your neck or around your ears and transplanting them onto the eyebrow area (via WebMD). "Fine hairs from the back of the head are removed by either a small linear scar or through tiny little circles around the base of each individual hair follicle and then placed into small, very carefully designed sites in the eyebrow," board-certified plastic surgeon Yael Halaas told Allure. The result is a more natural, permanent solution for those seeking fuller brows.
If you're ready to ditch the eyebrow makeup or the yearly microblading sessions, know that when it comes to deciding to go the eyebrow transplant route, there are several things to consider.
What you need to know
An eyebrow transplant is performed by a cosmetic or plastic surgeon (via Healthline). As with any surgical procedure, it's important to do your research to find a reputable doctor. Because it is performed under local anesthesia, the procedure is relatively pain-free, hair transplant specialist Dr. Asim Shahmalak told Harper's Bazaar.
Following the procedure, there will be some scabbing and it is normal for some of the transplanted hairs to fall out within a few weeks (via WebMD). New hair should begin to grow from the follicles around three months post-procedure. Beyond that, some maintenance work, such as trimming and styling, will still be required as the transplanted hair can continue to grow long since they are from the head.
The procedure can also be costly. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000, according to Healthline. This of course depends on your specific eyebrow needs, the surgeon, your location, and more.
Is it worth it?
Obviously, there are many factors to consider before taking this step, but those who have gotten eyebrow transplants seem happy with their results. Celebrity Chrissy Teigen posted a photo of herself displaying her long eyebrow hairs on Instagram. She captioned the post: "Blessing and a curse, this eyebrow procedure. 10/10 would do again lol."
In a series of TikTok videos, beauty influencer Gabriel Zamora answered some of his followers' questions about his transplant experience. "This is a hair transplant, so they took the hair from the back of my head, but they put it on my eyebrows. So it's not a tattoo, it's actual hair," he said. Seemingly satisfied with his results, Zamora has made several additional videos to show how long his eyebrow hairs now get, as well as how he keeps up with the trimming maintenance.
Celebrity makeup artist Erin Parsons also shared her experience with Allure, saying that she wrecked her eyebrows from excessive plucking and shaving when she was younger. After a five-hour procedure and waiting months for the hair to fully grow in, Parsons described the end result as "life-changing." "Since the transplant, I've dyed my brows. I've also had them laminated. I bleached them, I glue them down," Parsons said. "I just find more pleasure in doing my eyebrows now."