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Eyebrows not only frame your eyes the right way but also balance your facial shape beautifully. It is important to maintain a pair of well-groomed eyebrows to achieve the effect of a mini facelift naturally. But no matter how much you take care of your eyebrows, you need to make sure that the skin between them is not dry and flaky. The dryness of the skin near the eyebrows can spoil the beauty of your face completely. It can spread to other parts of the face like the nose, ears, etc. over time, thereby making you look weird. It also irritates and turns out to be very annoying sometimes. Hence, treating it at an early stage is highly recommended. In this post, we will be talking about the potential causes of developing dry skin between eyebrows along with the most effective home remedies as well as other medicinal treatments for it. Keep reading.
An Overview Of Dry Skin Between Eyebrows
The region between our eyebrows is medically termed as ‘glabella’. It marks the center point of our face and plays a crucial role in defining the shape of our brows. In short, it is one of the most highlighted areas of our face. However, the skin in this region is very sensitive and sweaty or pimple-prone most of the time. But sometimes, it turns too dry or flaky and is known as ‘eyebrow dandruff’. This is a chronic condition, which usually occurs after puberty in areas of skin where there are a lot of oil-producing glands and the glabella region is one of them. It is more or less similar to regular dandruff on the scalp in terms of symptoms, which include white or yellow flaky pieces of skin, scaly appearance, rashes, irritation, itching, redness, etc. Mild eyebrow dandruff is very common and fairly easy to treat in a few weeks with simple at-home remedies. If you are suffering from severe flare-ups, you can also opt for prescription treatment to keep it under control.
Eyebrow dandruff can happen to anyone, at any age. In babies, it is typically called ‘cradle cap’.
Read Also – Best Cleansers For Dry Skin – Top 5 Picks
Causes Of Dry Skin Between Eyebrows
Whether it is only a few small flakes in your eyebrows or large scaly patches in between them, a variety of factors can be present behind it. These include (1):
1. Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis is a form of eczema that is quite common in people with compromised immune or neurological systems (2). The chronic skin condition is contributed by a type of yeast called Malassezia, which causes inflammation and flaking of the skin rich in oil glands. It causes round non-contagious patches of skin between eyebrows that appear red or slightly pink in color. The patches also shed white or yellowish crusts or flakes and tend to be itchy.
2. Contact Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is basically a type of allergic reaction that occurs when the skin comes into contact with an irritating substance (3). When it comes to eyebrows, it is mostly associated with the usage of cosmetics and other beauty products. Contact dermatitis causes inflammation of the skin, which results in scales or flakes along with a red, itchy rash. Some common irritants that trigger it include harsh chemical compounds, metals, and fragrances found in products like shampoos, conditioners, soaps, face washes, astringents, acne medications, makeup removers, perfumes, eyebrow piercing jewelry, etc.
3. Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition in which errant immune system signals lead to an inappropriately fast rate of skin turnover, thereby attacking the healthy tissues in the body. It can be of several types with different characteristics. In facial psoriasis (4), the region between eyebrows is affected the most. It not only makes the skin dry and flaky but also causes thick, red patches of skin with silvery scales. Stress, infections, skin injuries, drug interactions, etc. are some common factors behind the occurrence of psoriasis.
Home Remedies For Dry Skin Between Eyebrows
If the skin between your eyebrows is dry and mildly flaky, you can try one or more simple remedies at home from the following list:
1. Balanced Diet
Having a well-balanced diet can help you deal with the issue successfully. Making proper changes in your food habit will add moisture to your skin and turn it healthy over time. Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet to cure it permanently. Also, skip all sorts of unhealthy items like oily, junk, and processed foods.
2. Proper Hygiene
Maintain proper hygiene to keep the troubled part of your skin clean and healthy. If you like to apply bindi on your forehead to complete your ethnic look, make sure that you cleanse the area of the skin well with a proper cleanser every time after its removal. You can even use cold raw milk and a cotton ball for this purpose. Choosing bindi from a well-known brand is also important.
Also Read – Top 10 Ways To Get Thick Eyebrows
3. Regular Exfoliation
Regular exfoliation is essential to get rid of the dry, flaky skin and reveal the fresh layer of skin underneath between your eyebrows. All you need to do is massage your skin with the exfoliator for 2-3 minutes by following a gentle circular motion. However, opt for natural scrub recipes containing honey or yogurt as these will not only slough off dead cells from your skin but also hydrate it at the same time.
4. Heavy Moisturizing
No matter what the root cause of your issue is, the fact is that your skin lacks moisture and that is why it turns dry. So, keep it moist and hydrated always by applying a thick layer of a good moisturizer to it. The best practice for this is to moisturize the skin twice daily – after bath and before bedtime.
5. Lemon Juice
If your skin flakes a lot between your brows, this lemon juice remedy will be really helpful for you. Take a thin slice of lemon and rub it gently over the area. Wait for a few minutes so that the juice can work and then, wash it off with cold water. You need to repeat it every other day to get the best results.
6. Tea Tree Oil
The antifungal properties of tea tree oil are highly effective in treating dandruff-like dry skin between eyebrows. Dilute a few drops of tea tree essential oil with some distilled water and apply them to the scaly region of your skin. You can also mix 5% tea tree oil with aloe vera gel or a herbal lotion and massage the affected area gently with it. Do it twice every week to see impressive results in just a few weeks.
7. Neem Leaves
While the antibacterial properties of neem leaves make it a great remedy for several skin diseases, the acids and oils present in them also help treat dry skin efficiently. Simply prepare a paste by crushing and mixing neem leaves with a little amount of water and apply it to the skin between your brows. All those dead cells will vanish in a few days!
8. White Vinegar
Washing the entire area of your eyebrows with a very little amount of white vinegar can improve the condition of your skin to a great extent. It not only eliminates dry and flaky skin but also prevents the future occurrence of it.
Also Read – Pros And Cons Of Eyebrow Bleaching – with Procedure and Side Effects
9. Cocoa Butter
Pure cocoa butter has excellent hydrating qualities, which can smooth your dry eyebrow skin easily. Apply a thin layer of cocoa butter to the affected area and massage until it gets absorbed into the skin. However, it is advised that you avoid applying cocoa butter in huge amounts to prevent the formation of acne.
10. Aloe Vera Gel
The goodness of pure aloe vera gel can help you heal the dryness of your eyebrow skin very effectively. It has amazing healing properties, which also soothe dry and irritated skin. Just rub a little gel on the eyebrow region and massage for 2-3 minutes. There is no need to wash it off.
Also Read – Eyebrow Tattoo: How it Works, Benefits & Risks Of Eyebrow Tattoo
11. Oil Massage
Natural oils like coconut oil, almond oil, etc. are rich in vitamin E, which works as a natural moisturizer for dry and scaly skin. You can warm up a few drops of oil and massage the troubled part of your forehead with it for a few minutes every day at night. Let it sit for the whole night and then, wash it off the next morning. Apart from healing dry eyebrow skin, it will also prevent wrinkles and age lines in that area.
12. Petroleum Jelly
The good old petroleum jelly can also help you get rid of the dryness between your brows. Just massage the part with a little jelly and leave it overnight. The outcome will be visible in just a few days only.
Read Also – No More Grey Hairs In Eyebrows! Know The Reasons And The Best Remedies
Other Ways To Treat Dry Skin Between Eyebrows
If you find no results after trying any of these home remedies for 1-2 weeks, meet your dermatologist and seek medicinal help. Following are the most common ways to treat dry eyebrow skin medicinally (5):
- An anti-fungal cream (or any other prescription topical treatment) can reduce the dryness caused by seborrheic dermatitis.
- A medicated anti-dandruff shampoo containing selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, etc. is the best for treating extremely dry and flaky eyebrows.
- An anti-itch cream works wonderfully for contact dermatitis as it alleviates itch and soothes irritation.
The skin around the eyes is exceptionally sensitive. So, avoiding over the counter product is always good as they can be damaging for the eyes at times.
Read Also – Eyebrow Tinting – Why, How-To, And Pro Tips
Summary
Rule of the thumb is to keep your eyebrows clean, moisturised and free from buildups to stay away from dandruff or flaky skin. Keep it moist and hydrated always by applying a thick layer of a good moisturizer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I Moisturize Eyebrows Regularly?
Of course, you should. Whenever moisturizing your facial skin, do not skip that small region between your eyebrows. Moisturizing will strengthen the skin barrier, thereby sealing in hydration in that area.
Should I Shampoo My Eyebrows?
It is not needed. Washing your face itself is enough to keep your eyebrow region clean. Too much cleansing can rip it off its natural moisture.
Should you pluck grey eyebrow hairs?
If there are one or two strands of grey hair, you can pluck it off with a good tweezer. However, avoid plucking if you spot a large number of grey strands. This may lead to bald patches.
How do I get rid of dandruff on my face?
Dandruff occurs because of a yeast-like fungal infection that results in a dry and flaky scalp. Dilute your regular anti-dandruff shampoo by adding water and apply the mixture all over your face. Rinse it off with lukewarm water after 5-10 minutes. If your skin gets dried up completely in the process, apply a moisturizer.
Does coconut oil help with dandruff?
Coconut oil can act as a moisturizer for your dry scalp although there is no evidence to suggest that it can act against dandruff-causing fungus.
Which oil is best for hair dandruff?
Go for anti-fungal, antibacterial moisturizing oils like tea tree oil or jojoba oil.
References:
- “Why Are My Eyebrows Itchy?“, MedicalNewsToday.com
- “Seborrheic Dermatitis” – WebMD.com
- “Contact dermatitis” – Mayoclinic.com
- “What Can I Do About Facial Psoriasis?” Healthline.com
- “Why Do I Have Eyebrow Dandruff?“, Healthline.com
