While Doja Cat shaved off her eyebrows on Instagram, and Ariana has dyed hers beach-blonde many cannot even fathom plucking their razor-thin sets anymore. Not a lot of us are genetically well-endowed with Zendaya-esque eyebrows, and options like microblading don’t guarantee long-lasting results. Enter an expert-approved alternative that many celebrities are opting for these days: eyebrow transplants. It’s exactly what it sounds like — planting hair into the skin of your brows in the simplest of terms to achieve a natural-looking finish. This surgery can transform your brows radically — taking them from inconspicuous strips of hair sitting atop the eyes to fuller, lush, Cara Delevingne-like brows.
Chrissy Teigen has documented her experience with the procedure on Instagram. The mother of two did attest to the satisfactory end results of the transplant and claimed that she loved it, but she did mention that the hair on her brows was growing faster than expected. This is because of the difference in texture between the hair growing on your head and eyebrows. You can check out her before and after pictures on the internet — they’re a surprise. But if fluffy, natural-looking brows are your end goal, you might want to learn a little about this underrated procedure. I’ve roped in Dr Karishma Kagodu, Plastic Surgeon, Founder, and Managing Director of Dr Karishma’s Aesthetics (Kaesthetics) and Dr Shilpi Bhadani, Plastic & Aesthetic Surgeon, Founder of SB Aesthetics, Gurugram to weigh in with their opinions on the subject. Ahead — find out whether this procedure is for you or not.
What is an ‘eyebrow transplant’, and how does it work?
Dr Karishma breaks down the entire process for me effortlessly, “This transplant is a much more tedious, lengthy, and sophisticated task than a typical hair transplant, but the execution of both procedures is the same — except for the type of grafts/follicles we use for the brow-area implant.”
She continues to add, “Eyebrow transplants fill the hair gaps in the brow areas and reposition the eyebrows with an aesthetic ‘fullness’. The grafts/follicles are extracted from the head or hair above your ears, and transplanted to the brows following an FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) or FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant)”
Before we go on — FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) or FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) are a little different from each other. The former involves extracting hair from your scalp and transferring to to another region that lacks hair while the latter works by removing a strip of skin from the scalp containing hair. This strip is dissected into grafts or sections, and these grafts are planted into the skin of the brow. Both are effective, and you can learn more about them by talking to your surgeon.
She continues, “These transplants are a permanent solution for thinner brows that aren’t as visible as you’d like them to be. A patient can see the regrowth of their eyebrows between four to six months following the transplant, but one must note that the initial grafted hair will shed off to regrow permanent hair following the procedure. That explains why you’ll notice outcomes at around ten months. The entire procedure may take about 2-3 hours to be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon with the transfer of your own hair.”
Dr Shilpi explains how the process is conducted, “This procedure can be performed on both males and females resulting in a lifetime solution as your hair continues to grow naturally. It’s simple. First — you start off by planning and determining what the Recipient and Donor areas are. The former is your eyebrow in this case, and the latter is from the back of the scalp which is shaved and prepared before surgery. Both these sites are anaesthetised with local anaesthesia. Slits are made in the deficient areas of the brow, and the grafts are harvested as per the requirement via the FUE method — two or three root-bearing grafts are converted into single root-bearing grafts, and only single root-bearing grafts are transplanted into the eyebrows. For patients who opt for both hair and eyebrow transplants, and we have a thinly-distributed donor area, I often go with the FUT method; but in cases where only the eyebrow needs correction, FUT is not recommended.”
Who should opt for such a procedure — and who shouldn’t?
Dr Shilpi says, “People who are not satisfied with the shape of their eyebrows, or those who suffer from overplucked or reduced eyebrows — which is particularly seen in patients of Post Burn or Post Traumatic Correction — can opt for this procedure. But those diagnosed with alopecia areata, trichotillomania, bleeding problems or a history of cosmetic surgery-related problems are not particularly well-suited for this treatment.”
How does it compare to microblading and microshading?
“This transplant is a natural, safe, and result-centric procedure that endows you with a natural-looking finish and feel. It is performed skillfully, meticulously, and artistically,” says Dr Karishma.
Dr Karishma and Dr Shilpi explain the difference between the transplant and other methods. They agree that a more natural-looking brow with genuine hair is what an eyebrow transplant aims for. But it does differ from other temporary options like microblading and microshading. Microblading is a semi-permanent technique in which pigment is deposited under the skin in fine, short, hair-like strokes using a hand tool equipped with a blade of tiny needles. Microblading requires touch-ups once or twice a year. Microshading is a type of cosmetic tattoo procedure. It’s like semi-permanent makeup on your eyebrows. It requires pigment ink and a handheld tool to place tiny, pin-like dots over the brow area to fill in thin spots.
What’s after-care and maintenance like?
Don’t worry — maintaining your brows isn’t tricky or time-consuming, “This downtime for this procedure is minimal, and most patients recover fully after a day or two. You might notice minor scabbing within the first ten days, and you’re advised to not scratch the scabs to achieve a smoother recovery. And, after a few weeks, the newly-transplanted grafts will fall out, indicating a regrowth of new hair roots following the restoration procedure. Visible results will be seen between months three and four, and the final outcomes will take around six months to a year. But you need to follow some post-op measures like avoiding vigorous exercise for up to three weeks following your surgery,” says Dr Karishma.
Dr Shilpi talks about post-care a couple of days after surgery, “There is minimal swelling and pain post-procedure. Dressing placed post-procedure on the donor site is removed after 36-48 hours of the transplant, and both the recipient and donor areas are evaluated. An antibiotic ointment is placed on the donor area/s, and we generally recommend keeping the transplanted area hydrated with the use of a hydrating spray or saline. We perform gentle shampooing on the fifth postoperative day and ask the patient to do the same twice every week. This helps in the removal of scabs and enables effective healing of the graft. During the shedding phase, which continues for up to 3 months post-transplant, the grafts will start falling out, and roots will begin to appear gradually.”
What’s the (approximate) cost for this procedure?
According to Dr Karishma, it’s not possible to quote a price for such procedures, “The cost of an eyebrow transplant depends on various factors. The cost varies for every patient since it is a tailor-made procedure, and depends on the customised attention given to each individual. Some direct factors that influence the cost of eyebrow transplants are the applied method; the number of grafts being transplanted; the desired volume; and the personal goal-set. But the average cost for a transplant is about four times cheaper than a typical hair transplant, and in Bangalore, it can cost as little as a few thousand rupees.”
Dr Shilpi concurs, “The cost depends upon the number of grafts, and varies from patient to patient. At our centre, it starts from INR 40,000, and may go up to INR 65,000.”
Are there any risks associated with the transplant?
Dr Karishma reassures me that there are no such risks or problems associated with an eyebrow transplant. It’s just that you might end up with brows that don’t look as natural as you might have wanted them to — but as long as you’ve chosen a good surgeon, this isn’t likely to happen, “Extracting grafts/follicles matched to the hair on the brow is tedious, and grafting the same in the recipient areas requires extreme perfection, artistic skills, and expertise. But choosing an expert surgeon helps you achieve the best results with minimal downtime, discomfort, or dissatisfaction.”
“But beware of these common side-effects,” says Dr Shilpi:
- Nerve damage
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Excessive bleeding
- Scarring infection
“Bruising and swelling are categorised as the most common side effects, but these are regular in occurrence in almost all cases of transplants. Studies also suggest that there have been cases of nerve damage, excessive bleeding, and scarring and infection,” she elaborates.
Keep in mind that since the hair is picked from the head, it will grow faster than normal.
If someone’s not happy with the end result, are revisions possible?
If you are unsatisfied with the end results, Dr Karishma confirms that a revision via FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) or FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) is possible.
Are there other alternatives to achieve a similar look?
Dr Karishma explains to me that alternatives like microblading and microshading exist; but none can deliver the results that this procedure can, “Both these options are semi-permanent methods and require revision.” But the transplant endows your brows with the most permanent and natural-looking finish and feel that cannot be compared to any temporary options available.
Make sure you’re discussing everything with your surgeon and weighing the pros and cons of the procedure before arriving at a decision — remember that an eyebrow transplant is almost permanent.
Featured Image: Instagram