Why Are My Eyebrows Falling Out? Causes & Solutions

Why Are My Eyebrows Falling Out? Common Causes and What to Do

If you've noticed more hairs than usual coming out when you brush your brows or wash your face, you're not alone — and it's definitely worth paying attention to. Eyebrow hair loss can be frustrating and alarming, but understanding what's causing it is the first step toward getting your brows back on track. The good news? Most causes are manageable, and many are completely reversible.

Let's walk through the most common reasons your eyebrows might be falling out, what each one means, and how to address it.

The Most Common Causes of Eyebrow Hair Loss

Overplucking and Over-Grooming

This is the number one culprit we see. When you pluck, wax, or thread your brows too frequently or too aggressively, you damage the hair follicles. The area becomes irritated and inflamed, and repeated trauma can actually prevent hair from growing back — sometimes permanently if the follicle is severely damaged.

Even daily brushing with a stiff brush or constant touching and rubbing can contribute to breakage and shedding. Your eyebrow hairs are delicate, and they don't have the resilience of the hair on your head.

What to do: Give your brows a break from plucking and waxing for at least 4–6 weeks. Switch to a soft, sparse brow brush if you're grooming them. If you've been over-plucking for years, check out our guide on how to recover overplucked eyebrows for a more detailed recovery plan.

Harsh Beauty Products and Irritation

Some eyebrow products, makeup removers, and skincare ingredients can irritate the delicate eye area. Heavy pomades, low-quality formulas, or products with alcohol can dry out the skin and weaken hair. Allergic reactions to dyes (especially if you tint or dye your brows) can also cause localized inflammation and shedding.

Aggressive exfoliating or using strong actives like retinol and AHAs directly on the brow area can also strip the skin and damage the follicles.

What to do: Simplify your brow routine. Use gentle, nourishing products designed for the eye area. If you suspect an allergy, do a patch test before applying any new product to your brows. Avoid exfoliating scrubs and strong actives on the brow bone.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Hair loss — including eyebrow loss — is often a sign that your body isn't getting enough of certain nutrients. Iron deficiency, zinc deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, and low B vitamins (especially biotin) can all contribute to hair shedding across your body, including your brows.

If you've noticed hair loss on your scalp, eyelashes, or body in addition to your brows, nutritional deficiency is worth investigating.

What to do: Talk to your doctor about getting bloodwork done to check for deficiencies. A simple blood test can reveal what you're missing, and supplementing or adjusting your diet can make a real difference. While you're addressing the root cause, you can use eyebrow growth serums to support regrowth.

Stress and Hormonal Shifts

High stress and hormonal imbalances can trigger telogen effluvium, a condition where hair prematurely enters the shedding phase. This can affect eyebrow hair as well as scalp hair. Pregnancy, postpartum recovery, thyroid issues, and hormonal birth control changes are common hormonal triggers.

The eyebrow hair loss from stress or hormones typically happens gradually and evenly across both brows, rather than in specific spots.

What to do: If you think hormones are the culprit, consult your doctor, especially if you're experiencing other symptoms like fatigue, mood changes, or scalp hair loss. Managing stress through exercise, sleep, and meditation can help. In most cases, hair regrows once your hormones stabilize.

Alopecia and Skin Conditions

Alopecia areata (an autoimmune condition causing patchy hair loss), seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema can all affect the eyebrow area. These conditions cause inflammation, itching, and flaking, which weakens the hair and causes shedding. You might notice redness, scaling, or bald patches rather than just general thinning.

What to do: If you see patches of missing brows, visible scaling, redness, or intense itching, see a dermatologist. These conditions need professional diagnosis and treatment — over-the-counter products won't address the underlying issue.

Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder)

Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behavior where people unconsciously or consciously pull out their hair, including eyebrows. It's often triggered by stress, anxiety, or boredom. If you notice yourself pulling at your brows or find bald patches with broken hairs (rather than full hairs shed from the root), this might be what's happening.

What to do: This is a behavioral and psychological issue that benefits from therapy, specifically habit-reversal training or cognitive behavioral therapy. A mental health professional can help you develop strategies to manage the urge to pull.

Natural Hair Shedding Cycle

Here's something most people don't realize: eyebrow hair has a growth cycle, just like scalp hair. Individual brow hairs have a lifespan of about 4–6 months, which means shedding a few hairs regularly is completely normal. If you're only noticing a small amount of hair loss, this might just be the natural cycle at work.

What to do: Monitor the amount. A few stray hairs when you brush is normal. But if you're seeing significant thinning or bald patches, that's a sign something else is going on.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional help if you experience:

• Sudden, noticeable loss of eyebrow hair over a short period
• Patchy or uneven bald spots in your brows
• Redness, swelling, scaling, or itching in the brow area
• Hair loss accompanied by other symptoms (fatigue, weight changes, mood shifts, scalp hair loss)
• Loss of hair in other body areas as well

A dermatologist can diagnose skin conditions, and your primary care doctor can run bloodwork to check for nutritional or hormonal issues.

Supporting Eyebrow Regrowth While You Investigate

While you're figuring out the underlying cause, you can support healthy regrowth with a few simple steps:

Use a nourishing brow serum. Products like eyebrow growth serums are formulated with peptides, vitamins, and conditioning ingredients to strengthen existing hairs and promote new growth. Grande Cosmetics GrandeBROW Brow Enhancing Serum is a solid option if you're looking for something with proven results.

Be gentle with grooming. Avoid plucking, waxing, and threading until your brows stabilize. If you need to maintain their shape, use a soft brush and only trim stray hairs with clean scissors — never pluck.

Keep the area clean and hydrated. Use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser and follow with a light moisturizer. The healthier your skin, the better your hair will grow.

Fill in sparse areas temporarily. While you're waiting for regrowth, use a brow product to create the appearance of fullness. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is precise and long-wearing, or if you prefer a softer look, Glossier Boy Brow adds definition without looking drawn-on. Check out our tips on how to fill in eyebrows naturally for application techniques.

The Bottom Line

Eyebrow hair loss is usually fixable once you understand what's causing it. Whether it's overplucking, nutritional deficiency, stress, or a skin condition, identifying the root cause is essential. Be patient with regrowth — eyebrow hair takes time to come back, often 3–4 months or longer depending on the cause.

In the meantime, treat your brows gently, nourish them with good products, and don't hesitate to see a dermatologist if the loss is significant or accompanied by other symptoms. Your brows will thank you.