Eyebrow Dandruff: What is it and how to get rid of it?

04.07.2021 - Manouk de Vries

Yes, this eyebrow dandruff exists as a skin condition. Although this may sound like a funny post, it's actually something that affects thousands of women as well as men yearly. As if life wasn't difficult enough, dealing with acne, headaches from time to time, and itchy, dry skin in the colder months, eyebrow dandruff is another add-on to the list. We wanted to discuss the concept of eyebrow dandruff since as a brow artist you definitely can come across this while you treat your clients.

What is eyebrow dendruff?

Seemingly enough, it's pretty straight forward. Those same dry, itchy flakes that haunt your scalp from time to time, can actually also appear in the underlying skin of your brows. Medically, it’s referred to as Seborrheic Dermatitis. Seborrheic Dermatitis basically is a form of eczema that’s not limited to just your brows. It can appear anywhere on your body, it’s just often mostly seen on the scalp.

David Lortscher, M.D., dermatologist, and CEO of Curology says, "Seborrheic dermatitis, or dandruff, occurs in areas of the body that are rich in oil glands, so the central face is a prime target. Many people also have itching and flaking in the scalp, although both areas are not necessarily affected; the central chest may be involved as well with dandruff."

Example of eyebrow dandruff

(An example of eyebrow dandruff, or seborrheic dermatitis, source: Google)

Triggers of eyebrow dendruff

Although there is no one definite cause of this condition, it is said that it is an immune system response to the production of yeast on the skin cells. There have also been claims that certain medications and stress can also contribute to the overproduction of yeast, thus further aggravating and causing the condition to reappear in certain people.

According to an article on MindBodyGreen: "The triggers are all the same as other forms of eczema: cold weather, dry environments, irritating personal care products, or an allergy, but dandruff has a few other more specific triggers, like oil buildup (the yeast feeds on oil) or microbiome-disrupting washes."

How to treat

Luckily, eyebrow dandruff is typically treated similarly to scalp dandruff as it’s the same thing pretty much. The first thing that you can try is an anti dandruff shampoo, such as Head & Shoulders. You can gently lather the anti dandruff shampoo into your brows, avoiding the eyes.

Ilyse Lefkowicz, MD, Head & Shoulders dermatologist, says to avoid any cleansers, tonics, lotions containing Glycolic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide, acne treatments, as it may further irritate the skin cells. Depending on the severity of the dandruff and the duration, an appointment to the dermatologist may be necessary.

How to avoid

Funny enough, we are writing this as one of our team members has this exact problem currently. To avoid getting eyebrow dandruff or to make it even worse, use the following tips:

1. Alwaysavoid scratching the dry areas or patches as this worsens it and prevents it from going away. Same as with acne, by touching it regularly it won’t help in any way. Especially since every time you touch it, you bring in new bacterias.

2. If it gets especially itchy, you can apply a bit of Tea Tree oil on the itchy area. The Tea Tree oil will nourish the skin and make it less dry.

3. Same as with the rest of your makeup, make sure you cleanse the brows properly every day. However make sure you don’t use products that are overly stripping the skin and make it even dryer.

Tips for beauticians

As a brow artist or beautician, if you notice any dry or irritated skin under your clients eyebrow hairs, it’s best to advise them to first improve the condition of the skin, before continuing with the Brow Glaze or Brow Henna, since both treatments can make the condition worse afterwards. When in doubt, always advise them to consult a dermatologist first so they can check the condition of their Seborrheic Dermatitis. When they’re already in your chair, you can help them to improve their condition with the following steps before you sent them home:

1. Use the Prep Peel Gel to exfoliate the skin. By exfoliating the skin you get rid of dead skin cells. While scrubbing makes it even worse,exfoliating can help to gently remove that layer of flaky skin without causing further damage.

2. Apply the Nourishing Defense Balm on the brows and the surrounding area. The CBD oil helps to nourish the skin, while the SPF 30 protects the brow area from sun damage.

You can sell both brow care products to them to use at home to improve their skin condition. As for the Prep Peel Gel, it’s important to not overdo it, so advise them to only use it once a week. Hopefully this will help them, so they can soon return to your salon to do the full treatment!