Eyebrows frame your eyes the right way and balance your facial shape beautifully. Maintaining a pair of well-groomed eyebrows is essential to achieve the effect of a mini facelift naturally. But no matter how much you care for your eyebrows, you must ensure the skin between them is not dry and flaky. The dryness of the skin near the eyebrows can completely spoil your face’s beauty. Over time, it can spread to other parts of the face, like the nose, ears, etc., 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 discuss the potential causes of developing dry skin between eyebrows, along with the most effective home remedies and 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 susceptible and sweaty or pimple-prone most of the time. But sometimes, it turns too dry or flaky and is known as ‘eyebrow dandruff.’ This chronic condition usually occurs after puberty in areas of the 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 relatively 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’.
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Causes Of Dry Skin Between Eyebrows
Whether it is only a few tiny flakes in your eyebrows or large scaly patches between them, various factors can be behind it. These include (1):
1. Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic Dermatitis is a form of eczema common in people with compromised immune or neurological systems (2). Chronic skin conditions are caused 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. The patches also shed white or yellowish crusts or flakes and tend to be itchy.
2. Contact Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is an allergic reaction when the skin comes into contact with an irritating substance (3). Regarding eyebrows, they are mainly associated with cosmetics and other beauty products. Contact dermatitis causes skin inflammation, resulting in scales or flakes and 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 the eyebrows is most affected. 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 common factors behind 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 habits 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 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. Choosing bindi from a well-known brand is also essential.
Also Read – Top 10 Ways To Get Thick Eyebrows
3. Regular Exfoliation
Regular exfoliation is essential to remove the dry, flaky skin and reveal the fresh layer of skin underneath your eyebrows. You only need to 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 slough off dead cells from your skin and hydrate it simultaneously.
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, always keep it moist and hydrated by applying a thick layer of suitable moisture. The best practice is to moisturize the skin twice daily – after bath and before bedtime.
5. Lemon Juice
This lemon juice remedy will benefit you if your skin flakes a lot between your brows. Take a thin slice of lemon and rub it gently over the area. Please wait a few minutes so the juice can work, and then wash it off with cold water. Repeating it every other day for the best results would be best.
6. Tea Tree Oil
The potent antifungal attributes of tea tree oil are exceptionally efficient in addressing dry, dandruff-like skin between the eyebrows. Dilute a few drops of tea tree essential oil with distilled water and apply the mixture to the scaly area of your skin. Alternatively, you can blend 5% tea tree oil with aloe vera gel or a herbal lotion and gently massage the affected region. Repeat this process twice weekly for a few weeks to observe significant results.
7. Neem Leaves
While the antibacterial properties of neem leaves make them an excellent remedy for several skin diseases, the acids and oils present in them also help treat dry skin efficiently. Prepare a paste by crushing and mixing neem leaves with water and applying 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 minimal white vinegar can significantly improve your skin’s condition. 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
Unadulterated cocoa butter possesses outstanding moisturizing properties that can effectively alleviate dry skin on your eyebrows. Apply a thin layer of cocoa butter to the affected area and gently massage it until absorbed into the skin. However, it is recommended to refrain from using excessive amounts of cocoa butter to prevent the potential development of acne.
10. Aloe Vera Gel
The goodness of pure aloe vera gel can help you effectively heal the dryness of your eyebrow skin. It has incredible healing properties, which also soothe dry and irritated skin. Rub a little gel on the eyebrow region and massage for 2-3 minutes. There is no need to wash it off.
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11. Oil Massage
Natural oils like coconut oil, almond oil, etc., are rich in vitamin E, 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 all night, then wash it off the following day. Apart from healing dry eyebrow skin, it will also prevent wrinkles and age lines.
12. Petroleum Jelly
The good old petroleum jelly can also help you eliminate the dryness between your brows. Just massage the part with a bit of jelly and leave it overnight. The outcome will be visible in just a few days.
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Other Ways To Treat Dry Skin Between Eyebrows
If you find no results after trying these home remedies for 1-2 weeks, meet your dermatologist and seek medicinal help. The following are the most common ways to treat dry eyebrow skin medicinally (5):
- An antifungal 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, alleviating itch and soothing 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.
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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. Do not skip that small region between your eyebrows when moisturizing your facial skin. 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 entirely, 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 work against dandruff-causing fungus.
Which oil is best for hair dandruff?
Go for antifungal, antibacterial, and moisturizing oils like tea tree or jojoba.
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
