EVERYONE wants thick eyebrow these days.
But fashionably bushy brows, like Brooke Shields‘, are not always possible – especially if you have an underlying health condition.
Not only are brows fun to shape, but they can also be especially useful when reading people’s emotions – especially if that emotion is an eye-brow-raising shock.
Your eyebrows can reveal the state of your health
But according to Dr Sarah Jenkins, an aesthetics doctor and former GP, brows serve an even greater purpose: they can reveal various health issues, from hormonal to autoimmune disorders.
Here, Dr Sarah tells the Sun about the four different conditions you can spot in your brows.
1. Hypothyroidism
Thinning brows, especially towards the ends, can signify a hormonal condition known as hypothyroidism.
“Hair loss is usually quite a slow onset symptom of the condition,” she explains.
“It can also leave the skin around the eyebrows dry and flakey,” she adds.
Hypothyroidism happens when the thyroid gland, found in the neck, does not produce enough hormones.
This can cause many of the body’s functions to slow down and change how it processes fat.
Because of these changes, thyroid problems can lead to high cholesterol and artery clogging.
According to the NHS, stress may exacerbate an underlying thyroid condition – for example, hypothyroidism runs in your family.
2. Psoriasis
Certain skin conditions, like psoriasis can also change your brows.
“The skin around your brows will become raised, roughened, itchy and flaky, which can cause the hair to stop growing,” Dr Sarah explains.
Psoriasis causes flaky patches of skin which form scales, the NHS says.
These patches normally appear on your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back but can appear anywhere.
Two in 100 people in the UK are affected by psoriasis, making it relatively common, and most people get it over 20 years old.
The severity of psoriasis varies greatly from person to person.
3. Alopecia
If you notice small patches of hair loss in your brows, you could suffer from alopeica.
The autoimmune disease can also appear on the body, including the beard, eyebrows, eyelashes or body hair, including pubic hair, the expert said.
According to the charity Alopecia UK, around 400,000 people in the UK either have the condition or have had it in the past.
It happens when cells mistakenly attack the hair follicles, stopping them from producing more hair.
“Further investigation would be necessary to find the underlying cause,” she explains.
The cause is unknown, but iron deficiency and stress could trigger the condition, although many experts dispute this.
4. Nutrition deficiency
General thinning could indicate that you are not eating the right or enough of certain foods.
“Being nutrient deficient thins the brows, hair, nails and skin,” the doctor explains.
“If any of these things happen, it’s a sign of malnourishment – everyone needs good daily vitamin and mineral supplements!”
According to one 2017 review study, having a lack of fatty acids -which are found in fish, nuts, and seeds – in the body may cause eyebrow hair loss.
Not getting enough biotin can also result in thinning hair and losing body hair.
Although biotin is a popular hair growth supplement, there is limited evidence to support its effectiveness.
A lack of zinc, found in meats and seafood, can also lead to hair loss.
The authors of a 2017 review say that zinc supplements may help with hair regrowth in people with a deficiency.
When to worry and when to see a doctor
If you start experiencing eyebrow hair loss, you should see your doctor to determine the cause.
They can pinpoint other symptoms and order the proper tests to diagnose the underlying condition.
After that, they can get you on the correct treatment.