Eyebrow hair transplants are surging in popularity as women – and men – seek ways to permanently restore or establish hair in the area, achieving a natural, full eyebrow look. The procedure was pioneered by Crown Clinic’s Dr Asim Shahmalak, one of the world’s most respected hair transplant surgeons.
How are eyebrow transplants done?
The eyebrow transplant process involves removing a section of hair from the patient – typically from the back of the head – and grafting the hair to the eyebrow area, augmenting the existing brows, or replacing them completely if a patient has lost all their natural brows.
The procedure typically involves 250 hairs transplanted into each brow, so 500 in total. The donor hair can either be harvested using FUE or FUT techniques. It takes around 2-3 hours and is performed under local anaesthetic – many patients are so relaxed they end up falling asleep during the procedure!
It is worth noting that the newly-transplanted eyebrow hairs will grow at the same rate as the hairs on the rest of the body, so maintenance will be required to keep them looking their best.
Reasons for getting an eyebrow transplant
The procedure has increased in popularity as awareness of the availability of the operation has spread. Generally, patients tend to seek eyebrow transplants for four main reasons:
- They have permanently damaged their brows through over-plucking – pencil-thin brows were a popular trend in the 1980s and 90s, but this did leave many women with sparse brows.
- They were born with naturally thin brows and want to bolster their eyebrow hair, particularly as the bushier look has become fashionable in recent years.
- They damaged their brows in an accident. For example, they might have been burnt off in a fire or a road traffic accident. Several victims of acid attacks in countries like Pakistan have received eyebrow transplants to fix the damage it has caused.
- They have previously suffered from Trichotillomania, a condition that causes the compulsive plucking of eyebrows and other body hair.
Are eyebrow transplants safe?
Eyebrow transplants are perfectly safe but, as with any cosmetic procedure, it is vital to pick a good surgeon. When researching a clinic, take a look to see if the surgeon has been recognised by any respected professional bodies. Patient testimonials and before-and-after photos can also help you make the right decision.
As with any surgical procedure, there is risk of infection, but a good hair transplant clinic will make sure you know how to look after your new brows to minimise this risk.
When will I see the results of my eyebrow transplant surgery?
The results of eyebrow transplant surgery are permanent, and you can expect to see some immediate differences, particularly the new outline of your brows. The full results are typically expected within 12 months for a standard FUE or FUT eyebrow transplant. Remember that hair grows in three stages so don’t be alarmed if you see some shedding after the hair transplant – it is normal.
What maintenance do the new eyebrows need?
The transplanted brows will need to be trimmed regularly, just like head hair. They may also need to be curled so that they blend perfectly with the existing natural eyebrows.
Trimming and curling is easy to carry out, and Crown Clinics provides patients with a handy beauty kit to do this. Patients find that with this simple maintenance their new brows perfectly blend with existing brows, and that it’s no more time-consuming than filling in their brows with makeup as they may have done previously.
Don’t just take it from us – here are some of Crown Clinic’s eyebrow transplant success stories…
Eyebrow transplant case study 1
Mum-of-four Elizabeth Cook, 38, had a £4,000 eyebrow transplant at Crown Clinic in Manchester because she craved bushier eyebrows like the Duchess of Cambridge.
Elizabeth, from Essex, was so relaxed she fell asleep during the eyebrow transplant.
For her new brows, around 400 hairs were transplanted individually to fill out the brows, which took around three hours.
Elizabeth said: “I am so pleased I had it done. I have always had naturally quite thin eyebrows and I just want them to be a bit fuller.
“The technique worked brilliantly, and I now have gorgeous bushy brows. I cannot thank Mr Shahmalak enough – he is a brilliant surgeon. I finally have the eyebrows that I have always wanted.”
Eyebrow transplant case study 2
Asim Shahmalak regularly returns to Pakistan, where he was born, to help women who were scarred in acid attacks.
He takes a team from Crown Clinic, performing eyelash, eyebrow, and hair transplants on the women free of charge.
One of the women he helped was Kanwal Ashar, 26, who had acid thrown over her by a man who had been stalking her after she had turned down his proposal. She had been working in a beauty salon and the man became obsessed by her.
She said: “I cannot thank him enough – he worked with great patience to rebuild my brows and the results are remarkable.”
As well as carrying out the transplants, Dr Shahmalak helped trained local doctors and technicians in his techniques so that his work could carry on at local hospitals on his return to Britain.
He said: “It was wonderful see how the women’s lives had been improved by the surgery. I wept when I first heard what had happened to them. It was incredibly moving to see the smiles on their faces after we performed the surgery. They had given up hope of ever getting help because the Government in Pakistan cannot afford to do anything for them. We were their last hope.”
No matter your personal reason for seeking an eyebrow transplant, Crown Clinic is here to help you rebuild your confidence. Please get in touch with our team to find out what we can do for you.