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Arch Facial Plast Surg. 1999;1:223-224.

Objective  To determine if shaving eyebrows can lead to permanent brow loss.

Methods  Five patients had a single brow randomly shaven, while the unshaven brow served as a control. These patients were evaluated prospectively for brow regrowth during 6 months, and photographs were taken at each visit. Two masked observers analyzed the final photographs to determine if they could identify the side that was shaven.

Results  All patients had full brow regrowth by 6 months. The masked observers could not identify shaven side with any consistency. One female patient with sparser, lighter-colored brow cilia waited longer than the other patients for full brow regrowth.

Conclusion  This small study demonstrates for the first time that full brow cilia regrowth is possible after completely shaving an eyebrow.

John P. Fezza, MD; Kimberly A. Klippenstein, MD; Ralph E. Wesley, MD
From the Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Baptist Hospital, Nashville, Tenn.