Every Medical Condition and Medication That Can Cause Eyebrow Loss — A Complete Guide

If you’re losing your eyebrows and don’t know why, you’re not alone — and you’re not imagining it. Eyebrow loss (medically called madarosis) can be caused by a surprisingly wide range of medical conditions, medications, nutritional deficiencies, and skin disorders. Some are temporary, some are chronic, and some require medical attention you might not realize you need.

This guide covers every major medical cause of eyebrow thinning and loss, so you can have a more informed conversation with your doctor — and know what options exist for managing the visible effects in the meantime.

Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmune diseases are among the most common medical causes of eyebrow loss. In each case, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue — and hair follicles are frequent targets.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing patchy hair loss. It affects approximately 6.8 million people in the United States. While it most commonly affects the scalp, alopecia areata frequently targets the eyebrows — sometimes before scalp hair loss even begins. The loss typically appears as smooth, round patches within the brow. Some people experience alopecia totalis (complete scalp hair loss) or alopecia universalis (complete body hair loss), both of which include eyebrow loss.

Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is an increasingly common condition, particularly in postmenopausal women, that causes progressive scarring hair loss along the frontal hairline. A hallmark feature of FFA is eyebrow loss — in fact, many patients lose their eyebrows before they notice any changes to their scalp hair. Unlike alopecia areata, FFA involves scarring of the follicles, which means regrowth is less likely without early intervention. If you’re noticing gradual, symmetrical eyebrow thinning along with a receding frontal hairline, FFA should be on your radar.

Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)

Lupus can cause hair loss throughout the body, including the eyebrows. Lupus-related hair loss occurs through two mechanisms: non-scarring alopecia caused by systemic inflammation, and discoid lupus, which causes scarring lesions that can permanently destroy hair follicles. Eyebrow thinning in lupus may be gradual and diffuse, or it may correspond to discoid lesions on or near the brow area.

Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash. The rash frequently appears on the eyelids (called a heliotrope rash) and can extend to the eyebrow area, causing inflammation that leads to hair loss. If you’re experiencing eyebrow loss along with a purplish rash around the eyes and muscle weakness, this condition should be considered.

Scleroderma

Scleroderma causes hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissue. When it affects the face, it can restrict blood flow to hair follicles and cause eyebrow thinning or loss, particularly in the localized form (morphea) that affects the forehead or brow area.

Thyroid Disorders

Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most common and underdiagnosed causes of eyebrow loss.

Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)

Hypothyroidism slows metabolism throughout the body, including the hair growth cycle. The classic pattern is thinning of the outer third of the eyebrow — so much so that dermatologists and endocrinologists sometimes call this “Queen Anne’s sign.” If you’re noticing that the tails of your eyebrows are getting sparser while the inner portions remain relatively full, thyroid function testing is warranted. Other symptoms to watch for include fatigue, weight gain, cold sensitivity, dry skin, and constipation.

Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid)

Hyperthyroidism, most commonly caused by Graves’ disease, can also cause eyebrow thinning — though it tends to cause more diffuse thinning rather than the specific outer-third pattern seen in hypothyroidism. Graves’ disease can also cause a condition called Graves’ ophthalmopathy, which involves inflammation around the eyes that can independently affect the eyebrows.

Post-Thyroid Treatment Hair Loss

Even after thyroid conditions are diagnosed and treated, hair loss can persist for months. Radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism and the initial period of thyroid hormone replacement for hypothyroidism can both temporarily worsen hair shedding before things improve.

Skin Conditions

Several dermatological conditions specifically affect the eyebrow area.

Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

Eczema on or around the eyebrows can cause hair loss through chronic inflammation of the follicles, scratching and rubbing of itchy skin, and disruption of the skin barrier in the brow area. Eczema-related eyebrow loss is usually temporary if the underlying condition is managed, but chronic untreated eczema can lead to prolonged thinning.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is extremely common on the eyebrows — the brow area is one of the most oil-rich zones on the face. The flaking, redness, and inflammation associated with seborrheic dermatitis can weaken eyebrow hairs and cause gradual thinning. You might notice dandruff-like flakes in and around your eyebrows along with the thinning.

Psoriasis

Facial psoriasis can affect the eyebrow area, causing scaling, inflammation, and hair loss within the affected patches. Psoriatic plaques disrupt the normal hair growth cycle and can cause temporary or, in severe cases, more persistent eyebrow loss.

Contact Dermatitis

Allergic reactions to eyebrow products — brow pencils, gels, tints, henna, and even the adhesives in some cosmetic products — can cause contact dermatitis. The resulting inflammation can lead to temporary eyebrow loss. If your brow thinning started after introducing a new product, this is worth investigating.

Fungal Infections (Tinea Faciei)

Fungal infections of the face, while less common, can affect the eyebrow area. Dermatophyte fungi invade hair follicles, causing brittle hairs that break easily and patchy loss. This is more common in warm, humid climates and in immunocompromised individuals.

Nutritional Deficiencies

What you eat — or don’t eat — directly affects hair growth, including your eyebrows.

Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency (with or without anemia) is one of the most common nutritional causes of hair loss. Iron is essential for the production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to hair follicle cells. Without adequate iron, follicles can enter a premature resting phase. Women of childbearing age, vegetarians, and people with chronic GI conditions are at highest risk.

Zinc Deficiency

Zinc plays a critical role in hair follicle health, protein synthesis, and immune function. Zinc deficiency can cause diffuse hair loss including the eyebrows. Conditions that increase zinc loss — like Crohn’s disease, chronic diarrhea, and bariatric surgery — can precipitate brow thinning.

Biotin (Vitamin B7) Deficiency

True biotin deficiency is relatively rare in people eating a varied diet, but it can occur with certain medications (anticonvulsants, some antibiotics), excessive raw egg white consumption, and genetic biotinidase deficiency. Symptoms include hair loss (including eyebrows), a scaly red rash around the eyes, nose, and mouth, and neurological symptoms.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D receptors are present in hair follicles, and deficiency has been associated with alopecia areata and other forms of hair loss. Given that vitamin D deficiency affects an estimated 42% of American adults, it’s a common and often overlooked contributor to hair thinning.

Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid deficiencies can cause dry, brittle hair and hair loss. These fatty acids are essential for the lipid layer that keeps hair follicles healthy. Extremely restrictive diets, malabsorption conditions, and eating disorders can lead to essential fatty acid deficiency.

Medications That Cause Eyebrow Loss

Many commonly prescribed medications list hair loss as a side effect — and eyebrows are not exempt.

Chemotherapy Drugs

Chemotherapy is the most well-known medication cause of hair loss, including eyebrows and eyelashes. Taxanes (docetaxel, paclitaxel), anthracyclines (doxorubicin), and alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide) are among the most likely to cause complete brow loss. Most chemotherapy-induced eyebrow loss is temporary, with regrowth beginning 3-6 months after treatment ends.

Retinoids (Accutane/Isotretinoin)

Isotretinoin (formerly marketed as Accutane), used for severe acne, causes hair thinning in approximately 10-15% of patients. This includes the eyebrows. The mechanism involves changes in the hair growth cycle and sebaceous gland function. Topical retinoids (tretinoin, adapalene) can also cause localized hair thinning in the application area.

Blood Thinners (Anticoagulants)

Heparin and warfarin can cause telogen effluvium — a form of diffuse hair shedding that can affect the eyebrows. This typically occurs 2-4 months after starting the medication and may resolve with continued use or dose adjustment.

Beta-Blockers

Propranolol, metoprolol, and other beta-blockers are associated with hair loss in some patients. The mechanism isn’t fully understood, but it may relate to reduced blood flow to hair follicles. Brow thinning from beta-blockers is usually mild and gradual.

Antidepressants and Mood Stabilizers

Several psychiatric medications can cause hair loss. SSRIs (particularly sertraline and fluoxetine), lithium, and valproic acid are the most commonly reported. Brow thinning may develop weeks to months after starting the medication.

Hormone Replacement and Birth Control

Hormonal changes from starting or stopping birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, or anti-androgen medications can trigger hair changes including eyebrow thinning. This is particularly common with pills that have a higher androgenic profile.

Anti-Seizure Medications

Anticonvulsants like valproic acid, carbamazepine, and phenytoin can cause hair thinning, including the eyebrows. Valproic acid is the most commonly reported offender, with hair loss affecting up to 12% of patients.

Immunosuppressants

Medications like methotrexate (used for autoimmune conditions and cancer), mycophenolate, and cyclosporine can all cause hair loss. This is relevant for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, transplant recipients, and others on long-term immunosuppression.

Hormonal Conditions

Hormones play a fundamental role in hair growth, and hormonal imbalances frequently affect the eyebrows.

Menopause and Perimenopause

Declining estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause can cause diffuse hair thinning, including the eyebrows. Estrogen supports the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle, and its decline allows androgens to have a proportionally greater effect on follicles, leading to thinner, shorter hair.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS causes elevated androgen levels, which can lead to a paradoxical pattern of excess facial and body hair (hirsutism) alongside thinning of scalp hair and eyebrows. The mechanism involves androgen-sensitive follicles responding to elevated testosterone and DHT.

Pregnancy and Postpartum

During pregnancy, elevated hormones often make hair thicker and fuller — including eyebrows. But the postpartum period frequently brings dramatic shedding (postpartum telogen effluvium) that can thin the eyebrows significantly. This typically resolves within 6-12 months postpartum.

Other Medical Causes

Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behavior in which people compulsively pull out their own hair. The eyebrows are one of the most common sites. It’s classified as an obsessive-compulsive related disorder and affects an estimated 1-2% of the population. If you notice yourself unconsciously pulling or rubbing your brow hairs, this is worth discussing with a healthcare provider.

Chronic Stress

While stress alone rarely causes dramatic eyebrow loss, chronic physiological stress (illness, surgery, extreme emotional distress) can trigger telogen effluvium that affects all body hair, including eyebrows. The shedding typically occurs 2-4 months after the stressful event.

What to Do If You’re Losing Your Eyebrows

If you’re experiencing unexplained eyebrow loss, the first step is seeing a dermatologist or your primary care physician. They can evaluate potential underlying causes through a physical examination, blood tests (thyroid function, iron, zinc, vitamin D, hormone levels), and if needed, a scalp or brow biopsy.

Identifying and treating the underlying cause is essential. But while you’re working through the diagnostic process — or managing a chronic condition that causes ongoing brow loss — you don’t have to go without eyebrows.

At Brow Again, we make temporary eyebrow tattoos for exactly this situation. Our products are designed with medical hair loss in mind — hypoallergenic, skin-safe, and realistic enough that people won’t know they’re temporary. Whether your brow loss is from thyroid disease, alopecia, medication side effects, or any of the conditions listed above, having a reliable way to restore your brows can make a meaningful difference while you and your doctor work on the underlying cause.

Because looking like yourself shouldn’t have to wait for a diagnosis.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you’re experiencing unexplained hair loss, consult with a healthcare provider for proper evaluation and treatment.