Perfect brows every day: Eyebrow augmentation and restoration

Written by: Dr Greg Williams
Published: | Updated: 11/04/2022
Edited by: Sophie Kennedy

Eyebrows are one of the most prominent features on our face, giving definition and character as well as helping to express our emotions. Missing or thin brows can make a person self-conscious, particularly given that fuller, bolder brows that have become fashionable once again. Although makeup products, such as eyebrow pencils can offer a temporary solution, eyebrow augmentation and restoration procedures can offer more permanent and natural results. In this informative article, leading hair restoration surgeon Dr Greg Williams gives expert insight on the advantages eyebrow hair transplant surgery can offer.

 

 

 

Why do people choose to undergo an eyebrow hair transplant?

 

Along with the chin, mouth, nose and eyes, eyebrows are a prominent facial feature with an important role in expression and conveying how we are feeling. Fluctuations in fashion also apply to eyebrow styling. From the 1920’s pencil-thin rounded arches, to thick and natural in the 1980’s, to barely-there brows in the 2000’s, eyebrow trends are regularly changing. In more recent years, bold, natural and thick eyebrows have once more made a comeback, leading to the popularisation of treatments such as micro-blading or brow lamination which aim to create more prominent eyebrows.

 

Although those with naturally bushy brows may relish the latest trend in eyebrow shape, those with thin eyebrows, either because they were born that way or because they were overplucked for a prolonged period, can be left feeling self-conscious. In addition, eyebrow volume tends to diminish simply due to the natural ageing process

 

While makeup products, such as eyebrow pencils, gels and powders, can offer a temporary solution, an eyebrow transplant can offer a more permanent remedy to thin, sparse or missing eyebrows.

 

 

How is the procedure carried out?

 

Eyebrow hair transplants can improve the visual appearance of the eyebrow by restoring a non-existent brow or by shaping and filling out a thin eyebrow. To achieve a natural look, a thorough knowledge of anatomy and eyebrow design is required, as well as an advanced level of skill in hair extraction and implantation techniques.

 

To avoid results that look artificial, it is important to imitate the natural pattern of eyebrow hair growth direction, as eyebrow hair doesn’t all grow in the same direction and there can be a great deal of variation from person to person. Some eyebrow hairs face upwards and others downwards. In the centre of the brow, known as the body, there is a ‘herring bone’ growth pattern resulting in a thicker appearance compared to that in the head and tail of the brow. The surgeon’s creativity and artistic flare are essential in order to achieve natural results.

 

To ensure that the required or requested eyebrow shape is effectively recreated, the surgeon creates the incisions in specific directions and at specific angles, so that when the hairs are inserted the desired pattern of hair growth will occur. Precision in the procedure is what will ultimately give the eyebrows a natural appearance which will enhance an individual’s facial features in a positive way. Conversely, a poorly executed eyebrow transplant can be difficult to hide with the only recourse sometimes being to pluck out errant hairs or remove them permanently using a laser or electrolysis.

 

The hairs used in an eyebrow transplant are often extracted from a small area of the scalp at the sides or back of the head either by the Linear Strip Excision or Follicular Unit Excision donor harvesting methods. The number of hairs required per brow will vary from less than one hundred for those seeking subtle enhancement to four hundred or more in men seeking bushy brows. The procedure typically takes between three to four hours to complete.

 

 

What results can patients expect?

 

Although the transplanted hairs often do not grow for three to four months, by around nine months after the procedure, the new strands of hair should be fully settled and the result of the transplant can be judged. As hair taken from the scalp grows more quickly than native eyebrow hair, it is important to trim the transplanted hairs every five to seven days to give the best appearance.

 

 

 

If you are considering an eyebrow augmentation or restoration procedure and wish to discuss your options further, don’t hesitate to book a consultation with Dr Williams by visiting his Top Doctors profile.

By Dr Greg Williams
Aesthetic medicine

Dr Greg Williams is a leading hair restoration surgeon based at the renowned Farjo Hair Institute in London and Manchester. He uses the latest techniques and technologies available in the field and is an expert in hair loss treatments, FUE hair transplants and follicular unit hair transplant surgery

Dr Williams, who is committed to giving patients the highest level of care on their hair restoration journey, is a fully-qualified plastic surgeon who is highly respected in the field of hair transplantation. 

He is a fellow of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, possesses a diploma from the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in Plastic Surgery (FRCS & FRCS Plast). He also has an MBBS from the University of the West Indies

Dr Williams, who is the current president of the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS), has esteemed presentation experience. He has spoken at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) and the European Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS). He also gave the first talk on hair restoration in the then 30-year history of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). 

He has been a lecturer since 2003, educating plastic surgery trainees on hair restoration and was appointed to the MSc faculty at University College London. There, he lectures on hair anatomy, physiology and biology alongside embryology, genetics, as well as the causes of hair loss and hair transplant surgery. Furthermore, Dr Williams passes on his expertise via workshops. He has taught doctors from around the globe at pioneering events including the world's first ARTAS robotic-assisted live surgery workshop held at the Farjo Hair Institute.

Dr Williams, who has been involved in numerous radio and television appearances, has had his research into hair restoration published in respected peer-reviewed publications including Trends in Urology and Men's Health, Body Language Journal and the International Journal of Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Medicine. He has also written the professional standards and codes of conduct for both hair transport surgeons and hair transplant surgical assistants, published in the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery's (ISHRS) journal Hair Transplant Forum International, as part of his presidential role at BAHRS.

Previous to his impressive hair restorative career, Dr Williams lead the burns service at London's Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation. He was also clinical director for the London and South East of England Burns Network, was involved in the contingency planning for the London 2012 Olympics and co-authored NHS Emergency Planning Guidance regarding the management of burn-injured patients in the event of a major incident. 

 

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