The shape of eyebrows in women has changed over the years. While eyebrows used to be desired to be thinner, the fuller eyebrow is more popular today. The first step to fuller eyebrows is to stop the tweezing and waxing which thins out the hair follicles and slows down their growth. Various serums or topical products have also been touted that promote faster regrowth including topical Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Latisse. (bimatoprost) Both of these pharmacologic drugs have a proven track history of scalp hair and eyelash growth enhancement so it is not a stretch to see how it could work on eyebrow hairs.
An additional treatment option is an injectable serum or agent to help eyebrow hair regrowth is that of platelet-rich plasma. (PRP) PRP is an extract of the patient’s own blood that creates a few milliliters of a platelet concentrate with high levels of growth factors. This is created by a simple blood draw in the office which is then subjected to a centrifuge spin to create the PRP injection. The platelet and growth factor mixture is then injected into the eyebrows. Given that the eyebrows have a small surface area, the dose of PRP its quite high.
PRP eyebrow injections work best in patients with more acute episodes of eyebrow hair growth reduction as well as in younger patients. It will not give fuller brows in someone who has never had them. In short, you can’t stimulate hair to grow from follicles that never existed. But it can induce follicles to resume hair growth or make its current growth faster and fuller. In general, properly selected patients can expect to see a 25% to 30% improvement with each injection session. Injections treatments are usually done every eight to twelve weeks.
PRP injections are also a great adjunctive therapy with eyebrow hair transplantation. Injected one month before and after the procedure, the optimal take and growth initiation of the transplanted follicles is ensured.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana