BeautyTok Says Dermarolling Your Eyebrows Boosts Hair Growth

Whether due to years of over-plucking or simply a roll of the genetic dice, maybe you haven’t quite yet achieved the full and fluffy eyebrows of your dreams (leaving space, of course, for those that have hopped on the ’90s-era pencil-thin brow bandwagon). Seriously, unless you’re among the chosen few (looking longingly at you, Lily Collins and Zendaya), you may need some help in the brow department. Well, TikTok has been raving about one way to stimulate eyebrow hair growth — and it involves a dermaroller.

Beauty lovers are reaching for the handheld device that inserts tiny needles into your skin to make microscopic wounds that encourage the production of collagen and, apparently, help your brows grow faster. But does dermarolling your eyebrows actually work?

According to Kerry Benjamin, esthetician and founder of StackedSkincare, dermarolling (aka microneedling) works in two ways: by stimulating the hair follicle, and allowing whatever elixir you’re applying to better penetrate. “It drives the active ingredients deeper into your hair follicle, making the serums more effective. By doing so, you’ll see results more quickly,” Benjamin explains. On BeautyTok, the serums of choice are either hair growth-promoting formulas or botanical oils that are also known to stimulate growth (think rosemary and castor oil).

So, how’s it done? To dermaroll your eyebrows, Benjamin says first make sure your arches and the surrounding area are clean and makeup-free. To avoid the spread of bacteria, be sure to disinfect your tool with alcohol before and after each use. Apply your desired serum or oil, and then gently go over the area with your dermaroller. Disinfect again, replace the cap — and that’s it.

When dealing with needles, of course, safety is key. Joie Tavernise, esthetician and founder of New York-based JTAV Clinical Skincare, previously told Bustle that at-home dermarollers shouldn’t have needles longer than 0.5 millimeters. “I would only suggest a tiny microneedle for home use so you can’t damage the skin,” Tavernise said. Otherwise, to get you on your way to luscious-looking brows, Benjamin recommends dermarolling twice daily.

Studies referenced:

Iriarte, C. (2017). Review of applications of microneedling in dermatology. Clin Cosmet Invstig Dermatol. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556180/

Experts:

Kerry Benjamin, esthetician and founder of StackedSkincare

Joie Tavernise, esthetician and founder of New York-based JTAV Clinical Skincare