Dandruff on Eyebrows

Your eyebrows are tiny strips of hair surrounded by a sea of clear skin. They represent less than .02% of your total surface area. If they were any smaller, they’d cease to exist. In no way could they pose a threat to dandruff. And yet, that merciless force attacks them anyway.

Dandruff doesn’t care that the eyebrows are just a tiny archipelago stretched out beyond the shaggy mainland, occupied by a few lonely mites, defenseless save for a well-positioned pair of eyeglasses. Eyebrows are hair, and as such, they can fall prey to dandruff the same as your scalp.

If your eyebrows are shedding whitish to yellowish flakes, it’s likely dandruff taking up a strategic position on your face. Here’s what you can do to repel the invader.

What Causes Dandruff on Eyebrows?

The most common cause of snow on the archipelago, dandruff on eyebrows, is seborrheic dermatitis, and dandruff. Both conditions are related by a common offender—Malassezia, a yeast-like fungus that occurs naturally on the skin.

Dandruff

Dandruff is a mild version of seborrheic dermatitis. The fungus Malassezia, leads to an inflammatory cascade which leads to skin barrier dysfunction and that allows the top layer of skin to dry out and then comes the appearance of fine white flakes on the scalp and eyebrows. The fungus is just as happy in your eyebrows as on your scalp.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

This condition has the same underlying cause as above; inflammation caused by Malassezia leads to a disrupted skin barrier and this prevents the scalp from properly retaining moisture. But for reasons not entirely clear those affected by seborrheic dermatitis get more scaling and redness than those that suffer the mild flaking from dandruff.Because seborrheic dermatitisis associated with your skin’s oil glands, seborrheic dermatitis can occur anywhere there’s a high concentration of them. Your eyebrows fall into this category.

How Do You Treat Eyebrow Dandruff?

You can treat dandruff on eyebrows in much the same way you’d treat it on your scalp, with a few alterations. Because anything you apply to your face is applied to your eyebrows, the choices you make regarding facial cleansers, face creams, and cosmetics can all make a difference.

Wash Your Face Frequently

You should wash your face twice a day — morning and night — with an additional cleansing if you work out. This regimen helps cleanse away excess yeast and dead skin cells, as well as dirt and oil.

However, when it comes to facial cleansing, you can have too much of a good thing. Washing your face too frequently, more than the recommended amount, can dry out your skin and cause the very problem you’re trying to avoid.

Try a Gentle Exfoliation

Removing dead skin cells before they can cause problems is also a helpful strategy. Avoid harsh physical or chemical exfoliants, however. These can exacerbate the problem. Instead, use a soft wash cloth.

Use an Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Body Wash

Your best line of defense against eyebrow dandruff is a combination shampoo / body wash formulated to treat the most common causes of the condition.

It’s essential to look for something that doubles as a body wash because, as we’ve learned exhaustively in this blog post, your eyebrows are on your face, and standard shampoo goes on your head (ask your kindergarten teacher for more information.)

You should avoid harsh adult anti-dandruff shampoos. For one, you’re using them very close to your eyes (which are also on your face.) Second, many of these products contain potent chemicals that can irritate the skin. Most commercially available shampoos at your local drugstore and superstores contain sulfates like SLS and SLES. Of note, sulfates are the component in cosmetics that create lather.

The best choice is a hypoallergenic shampoo and body wash that’s free of harmful fragrances, dyes, parabens, phthalates and uses more gentle sulfates derived from natural sources. WE advise choosing one that is safe to use on children of any age and also strong enough for adults. Look for an epic shampoo and body wash that is just as effective at treating dandruff in the hair as it is on the face, and equally safe.

You need a product like Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo and Body Wash. Its active ingredient, pyrithione zinc, has been proven safe and highly effective through decades of everyday use. More importantly, Happy Cappy products contain none of the elements you don’t want. It’s the best way to clear and prevent dandruff on eyebrows or anywhere else it occurs.

Your eyebrows might be small, but good things come in small packages. Try imagining your face without them. Freaky, right? So show them the love they deserve.

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Dr. Eddie Valenzuela

Dr. Eddie Valenzuela is an award winning pediatrician and the founder and CEO of Pediatric Solutions, LLC.

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