Raising the Brow

Elevate Magazine / Spring2008 / Raising the Brow

Raising the Brow
By Marissa Ponikowski

Often ignored, seldom appreciated, your eyebrows can make or break your look. Here’s how to make yours bold and beautiful.

This season, thicker brows are in. Those blessed with a generous set can skip the wax and lightly pluck, comb and groom their way to stylish symmetry, but what about those who simply don’t have much eyebrow hair with which to work?

“Eyebrows are really important to the overall look of the face, because they frame the eyes,” says Dr. Marla Rosenberg, a hair transplant and cosmetic surgeon in Toronto. “Some people, for whatever reason – be it scarring, disease, over-plucking and waxing or simply genetics – have little or no hair in this area. I end up doing eyebrow transplants on people of all ages and for many reasons.”

The procedure is performed under general anesthetic and takes a few hours. It involves removing a small patch of fine donor hair from the scalp – usually from an inconspicuous area behind the ear, where the texture is most like eyebrow hair. The small incision is closed with a few sutures, and the harvested hair follicles are grafted onto the eyebrow area. “There’s an art to the brows, just like when you go to an esthetician, who shapes them for you,” says Dr. Rosenberg. “It’s quite gratifying to create a shape that’s beautiful, and we do this by paying special attention to direction and angle.”

Most patients tend to experience slight swelling, redness and sensitivity for a few days. They should apply saline solution and avoid touching, manipulating or applying makeup or lotion to the affected area, says Dr. Rosenberg. “We always check the patient the next day to be sure nothing has shifted, and they most often go home without a bandage.” About three to six months later, eyebrow hair growth begins. After about a year, the transplanted hair should be regularly trimmed. Results are permanent, and the cost for both eyebrows is approximately $2,500.

When it comes to brow woes, transplants aren’t the answer for everyone. Alopecia patients, for example, can’t have transplants because they’re unable to provide donor hair from the scalp. “We offer a product called iBrowsers, which is specifically designed for women with alopecia,” says Michael Suba, president of Toronto-based Continental Hair. “They’re essentially a water-based tattoo. They aren’t permanent and are perfect for skin with little or no hair. They look really natural. You can’t tell they’re not real until you’re four inches away.” iBrowsers are waterproof and easy to apply or remove. Each pair lasts two days, and a package of 18 costs $20.

High Brow

Sometimes, you just need a lift, especially when brow discontent is the result of heavy or sagging brow bones or eyelids. “Sometimes, people can have an angry, intense look due to a heavy brow,” says Dr. Wayne Carman, a plastic surgeon in Toronto. “This can actually affect their daily relationships. Although they may think they need to thin or groom their brows to get a less intense look, what they may really need is a brow lift.” Dr. Carman says lifting the brow also opens up the eyelid and redefines the entire eye contour area. Brow lifts are now performed using an endoscope and under general anesthetic. Most patients experience some bruising, or even blackening of the eyes, but this heals in a week or two. The procedure costs approximately $5,000 to $6,000, and the results are permanent.

BROW BOOSTER

Shape, tame or define your best assets with the following brow-beautifying products.

TheBody Shop Eyebrow Kit ($18) contains two defining powders and a brow/liner brush.

DuWop Browwow ($34 US) in Lighter or Darker (shown here) packs brow powder, tinted pomade, champagne shimmer highlighter and brow brush into this set.

Christian Cosmetics Eyebrow Makeup Kit ($30) includes an easy-to-use stencil system and a variety of shades, to fill out thin or light brows. Washes off with soap and water.

iBrowsers are waterproof and easy to apply or remove. Each pair lasts two days, and a package of 18 costs $20

Jane Iredale Super-Shape Me Eyebrow Kit($62) contains brow wax, two mineral brow powders and a lemon lid primer to conceal redness and lightly highlight. The kit is available in three shades: Blonde (shown here), Auburn and Brunette.