2008 IN STYLE EYEBROW HEALTH

Garth Fisher M.D.® F.A.C.S.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Beverly Hills, California USA

CellCeuticals® Skin Care Inc
Cofounder and Chairman

Biomedical Skin Treatment Institute®
Founder and Director

THE EYEBROW: THE FACES' PUNCTUATION

Eyebrows are extremely important facial features that subtly enhance the aesthetic experience of both women and men. The upper third of the face often reflects changes in the aging process most dramatically. The forehead, the eyes and the eyebrows are often the initial features to show signs of aging.

A beautifully arched eyebrow adds sensuality and youthfulness to a woman's face while a horizontal eyebrow adds a sense of power to a man's appearance. Optimizing these characteristics enhances a healthy and alert appearance. Eyebrows vary in density among men and women and can be affected by age, genetics and a host of additional factors. An average eyebrow may consist of 150-250 hairs which arise at a very sharp angle traversing close to the skins surface. The turnover of brow hair is relatively short with a growth phase (anagen) of 3-4 months before falling out. This keeps the hairs shorter as compared to the growth phase of scalp hair (3-7 years).

The main function of the eyebrow is to prevent salty sweat from dripping directly into the eye. The shape of the eyebrow directs moisture laterally around the eyes or side of the face. Eyebrows also provide important emotive expressions such as anger, sadness and surprise. Inappropriate and inartistic surgical modification of the brows can leave a patient appearing surprised, diabolic, sad, or with other apparent emotions that are contrary to their true feelings.

Far too many women are obsessed with the need to occupy the extreme and have either denser and thicker or thinner eyebrows, and as a result of these overreactions, eyebrow care has become an integral part of cosmetic enhancement.

The most aesthetically pleasing eyebrows are ones that enhance without being "over or under" done. Well groomed eyebrows are very trendy and eyebrow boutiques are common in major cities. All sorts of techniques exist in today's market place for eyebrow modification. Laser removal, tattooing for permanence and the list goes on. One of the biggest mistakes women make is over plucking or tweezing too much, as it can take months for the eyebrow hairs to re-grow. A sense of balance is important and defining the place on the brow where the arch rises is critical as this shapes' and frames the eye. The highpoint of the arch should be just lateral or outside of the iris or colored part of the eye. Proper techniques for performing such enhancement are essential and it might well be worth the time and expense to have a professional train and coach you during your first experience. This way you can create sort of a blue-print for future care.

One of my personal peeves is the tendency for women to aggressively pluck their eyebrows. STOP!!! Although it is in good taste to sport a shapely brow with a great arch, a thin lifeless brow which needs "life support" from a marking pen or sharpie is not the tradeoff you want! A youthful brow contains enough hair and as women pluck and remove more and more of the core follicles... the brow becomes sparse and displeasing. It's best to be conservative and careful. And please, save the magic markers for arts and crafts assignments!! I am finally satisfied that Dr. Craig Ziering in Beverly Hills has achieved a surgeon's skill at recreating a natural eyebrow through advanced transplantation techniques. He does amazing quality work through creative eyebrow transplants and allows previously relegated eyebrow "cripples" to regain a youthful and restorative brow line... hallelujah!