Eyebrows – What you need to know

Eyebrows – What you need to know

Using make-up to create eyebrows

With a little know how and some practice you can create very realistic looking eyebrows or go for something bold and striking. Even if you have no eyebrow hair at all or your hairs are very sparse there will be a technique to create a brow that can work for you.

At Cancer Hair Care we really understand what a challenge it can be to lose your hair on your scalp as well as dealing with loss of eyelashes and eyebrows. Our experience tells us that it really is worth taking some time to explore how you may be able to use make-up to re-create brows.

The reason for this is that many women have told us that despite having a great wig or headscarf, it was the lack of eyebrows that revealed their hair loss and cancer treatment and so took away their privacy.

Advantages of learning how to re-create eyebrows

Reduces image anxiety – a lack of eyebrows can reveal to others that you are experiencing hair loss. This in turn may make you feel that you have to explain your circumstances and hair loss.

Communication – our eyebrows are one of our core non verbal communication tools. It really can help to use make-up on the brow bone as your face will then continue to use the brow to express and reflect your reactions.

Define your features – many women tell us that they use this experience to try something new, such as using new colours, to create their brows and define their facial features

Ways to re-create eyebrows

Over the last few years eyebrow shaping and make-up have become a real beauty trend. This is good news because the variety of good quality brow make-up has dramatically improved. Additionally, some trends encourage women to pluck most of their lashes out and rely entirely upon make-up to create their brow. This helps when experiencing hair loss because it means that items such as eyebrow stencils, wax kits accessories and specialist make-up are available on the High Street.

Colouring brows

Can I tint my eyebrows/lashes during chemotherapy treatment?

We recommend the following:

Chemotherapy treatments that cause hair loss:

Prior to treatment – Colouring hair, brows and lashes, prior to treatment is usually okay as long as you carry out a skin sensitivity test.

During treatment – Due to the possibility of heightened skin sensitivity during chemotherapy, it is not generally recommended to use permanent hair colours on the scalp, brows or lashes. Additionally, if you are having a chemotherapy that causes hair to fall out, the follicle can be extra sensitive.

However, a number of people have told us that they didn’t lose their eyebrows or lashes until some time into their treatment and did decide to go ahead and tint their brows or lashes. If this is a choice you make, we recommend that you ensure you carry out the manufacturer’s sensitivity test prior to colouring and avoid colouring if hair starts to fall, or you have any skin sensitivities. 

Treatments that do not cause hair loss:

If your type of cancer treatment doesn’t cause hair loss then, as long as you have no scalp or hair issues and you carry out a sensitivity test, there is no reason why you can’t colour your hair, brows and lashes, if you choose to. Many women continue to colour their hair whilst having various treatments for cancer.

In this section we will look at the following ways to re-create eyebrows:

• Make-up & Ideas
• Semi-permanent make-up
• False eyebrows
• Other ideas to help disguise loss of eyebrows
• Beautifully bare