Here’s the biggest commonality throughout all facets of beauty right now, from makeup to hair to aesthetics: People are searching for natural, “you-but-better” results. A surprising way it’s popping up in the aesthetics space is a rise in popularity of eyebrow transplants. They are quietly but steadily becoming one of the fastest-growing requests, with a recent survey from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery showing that the procedure now accounts for roughly 12 percent of hair restoration procedures among women.
Though nothing new, eyebrow transplants have become more common recently (even Chrissy Teigen has gotten one) as patients move away from temporary fixes and into more permanent, low-maintenance solutions. But what can you expect with an eyebrow transplant surgery and what’s driving this popularity? Read on to get an expert’s take on everything to know about this growing trend.
Meet the Expert
- Jeffrey Wise, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Wayne, NJ
What Is an Eyebrow Transplant?
An eyebrow transplant is a procedure to provide a permanent solution to thinning or sparse brows. The surgeon takes “single follicular units from the back of the scalp that are transplanted to the eyebrow region to create a fuller eyebrow or to create eyebrows that were otherwise not there,” says Wayne, NJ facial plastic surgeon Jeffrey Wise, MD. Though a seemingly simple procedure, it carries real risk and commitment: “An eyebrow transplant is forever,” says Dr. Wise. “It is permanent.”
Why Are Eyebrow Transplants Popular Right Now?
There are several benefits to getting an eyebrow transplant, the first of which is that “real hair that grows is used,” says Dr. Wise. “Therefore, people do not require microblading or tattooing.” This makes it low-maintenance (even no-maintenance) as it’s a permanent solution. Microblading and tattooing has been and continues to be a great option for accessibility, but for those ready to move more temporary fixes, transplants are on the rise.
People are also trying to look like themselves but better, meaning natural-looking results are king. “There’s also nothing more realistic than real, three-dimensional hair,” says Dr. Wise. Since the hair is taken from a donor area (usually the scalp), the hair continues to grow and behave as natural hair for a completely natural look. Whether you’re a victim of 1990s over-plucked brows, you’re dealing with age or hormone-related hair thinning, or simply want a lower-maintenance and extremely natural-styled brow, this is a flexible and permanent option. As full, fluffy brows continue to be the preferred style, this one-time procedure continues to gain strides. Though the benefits are extensive and the popularity continues to rise, remember that it’s a specialized treatment that requires seeing a professional: “It’s critically important that someone with experience in hair transplantation performs these procedures,” says Dr. Wise.
How Long Does It Take to See Final Results?
As with any procedure, the final look of your eyebrow transplant will take some time. Expect some short-term swelling from the eyebrow transplantation, which “usually lasts several days, but rarely more than one week,” says Dr. Wise.
Results start settling over the course of months and requires patience: “People start to see results from an eyebrow transplant as soon as three to four months, and final results typically take around nine months,” says Dr. Wise, although he notes that these time frames can vary from individual to individual.
Though it’s a one-time procedure, you may need a small touch-up once after everything settles. “Eyebrow transplantation is an extremely nuanced procedure,” says Dr. Wise. “It’s common for people to need a small touch-up at one year to achieve the final result.”
