Because of alopecia areata, Tine (33) lost not only her hair but also her eyelashes and eyebrows. And those features have a huge impact on your facial expression and overall look. “For me, it felt like losing part of my femininity,” she says. Instead of giving up, Tine searched for solutions and now shares her experiences and tips for creating beautiful, natural-looking lashes and brows when you have alopecia.

Feeling feminine again and comfortable in my own skin

“I’ve had alopecia areata since I was five,” says Tine. “As a child, I often wore caps and hats. As a young woman, it was very hard to deal with losing my hair and partly my eyelashes and eyebrows. It felt like a piece of my femininity was taken away.”

“At first, I felt guilty for not being able to ‘relativize’ these appearances. As if I were vain, just because I wanted to look beautiful and feminine. But then I realized it’s important to make sure you feel good in your own skin – and how you do that is up to you. For me, finding ways to create natural-looking lashes and brows was crucial.”

Based on her own experience, Tine shares seven options for lashes and brows, with her personal pros and cons.

Option 1: Eyelash extensions at a beautician’s

Eyelash extensions can create natural-looking lashes. The condition is that you still have a few of your own lashes. Extensions are applied lash by lash by a specialist, so always check beforehand if your beautician has experience with alopecia clients. Never pull extensions out yourself, as you can cause damage. When I first got them, I paid €100, and every two to three weeks I go for a refill at €35. Not the cheapest solution.

Option 2: Applying false lashes yourself

You can also apply false lashes at home. It’s not easy, but the more you practice, the better you get. Natural-looking versions are available that you apply as a fine strip along your lash line. The advantage is that you can do it yourself and it’s more budget-friendly. The downside is that it takes some dexterity and the lashes only last for one day.

Option 3: Skip the 3D extensions

There are also 3D lash extensions, but I wouldn’t recommend them if you have alopecia. In my opinion, they don’t look natural and feel too heavy.

Option 4: Make-up to enhance your look

Since losing all my hair, I’ve come to value make-up more. Without hair, you instantly look paler. Make-up helps bring back some glow. Because I have extensions, I don’t use mascara, but I do add a fine line along my lash line to accentuate my eyes.

Option 5: Eyebrow pencil to the rescue

At first, I had no eyebrows at all. Now, one has grown back, the other is still missing. For years, I used an eyebrow pencil to fill them in. It gives a nice result, but it does take a few minutes every morning.

Option 6: Eyebrows with permanent make-up

Last year, I asked for a contribution towards permanent make-up brows as a Christmas and birthday gift. My favorite local expert for this is Zina Permanent Make-up, who has a lot of experience with alopecia patients.

Option 7: Powder brow for a natural effect

I chose the powder brow technique, where pigment is placed under the skin, similar to a tattoo. The result looks very natural, especially because Zina has a great eye for choosing the right color and shape to match your face. The downside: it’s not cheap. Powder brows cost between €300 and €400, and you’re advised to have a touch-up once a year.

Losing lashes and brows because of chemo?

• If your lashes and brows are falling out due to chemotherapy, it’s best not to go straight for semi-permanent options but to try gentler alternatives.
• Avoid mascara so you don’t irritate or pull out fragile lashes.
• Eyelash extensions are also not recommended for the same reason. Instead, define your lash line with dark brown or grey eyeshadow, gently smudged, to create the illusion of fuller lashes when they grow back thinner.
• For brows, you can create more fullness or even draw them from scratch with eyebrow powder or an eyebrow pencil. Struggling with the shape? Use a handy stencil to get it right.
• Wait with semi-permanent brows until your own grow back – that way you’ll know whether they return as full as before, or a bit thinner or lighter.

Want to read more? Check out our detailed advice article What Does Chemotherapy Do to My Eyelashes? >>