Why Do We Have Eyebrows: Functions, Thick, Thin, And More

Home » Why Do People Have Eyebrows » Why Do We Have Eyebrows: Functions, Thick, Thin, And More

Maybe your like

Healthline
  • Health Conditions

    Health Conditions

    All
    • Breast Cancer
    • Cancer Care
    • Caregiving for Alzheimer's Disease
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
    • Digestive Health
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Health
    • Menopause
    • Mental Health
    • Migraine
    • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
    • Parkinson’s Disease
    • Psoriasis
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
    • Sleep Health
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Weight Management

    Condition Spotlight

    All
    • Controlling Ulcerative Colitis
    • Navigating Life with Bipolar Disorder
    • Mastering Geographic Atrophy
    • Managing Type 2 Diabetes
  • Wellness

    Wellness Topics

    All
    • CBD
    • Fitness
    • Healthy Aging
    • Hearing
    • Mental Well-Being
    • Nutrition
    • Parenthood
    • Recipes
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Care
    • Sleep Health
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Women's Wellness

    Product Reviews

    All
    • At-Home Testing
    • Men's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Nutrition
    • Sleep
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Women's Health

    Featured Programs

    All
    • Your Guide to Glucose Health
    • Inflammation and Aging
    • Cold & Flu Season Survival Guide
    • She’s Good for Real
  • Tools

    Featured

    • Video Series
    • Pill Identifier
    • FindCare
    • Drugs A-Z
    • Medicare Plans by State

    Lessons

    All
    • Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Essentials
    • Diabetes Nutrition
    • High Cholesterol
    • Taming Inflammation in Psoriasis
    • Taming Inflammation in Psoriatic Arthritis

    Newsletters

    All
    • Anxiety and Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Heart Health
    • Migraine
    • Nutrition Edition
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Wellness Wire

    Lifestyle Quizzes

    • Find a Diet
    • Find Healthy Snacks
    • Weight Management
    • How Well Do You Sleep?
    • Are You a Workaholic?
  • Featured

    Health News

    All
    • Medicare 2026 Changes
    • Can 6-6-6 Walking Workout Help You Lose Weight?
    • This Couple Lost 118 Pounds Together Without Medication
    • 5 Science-Backed Ways to Live a Longer Life
    • Morning Coffee May Help You Live Longer

    This Just In

    • 5 Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle
    • How to Disinfect Your House After the Flu
    • Best Vegan and Plant-Based Meal Delivery for 2025
    • Does Medicare Cover Pneumonia Shots?
    • Chromosomes, Genetics, and Your Health

    Top Reads

    • Best Multivitamins for Women
    • Best Multivitamins for Men
    • Best Online Therapy Services
    • Online Therapy That Takes Insurance
    • Buy Ozempic Online
    • Mounjaro Overview

    Video Series

    • Youth in Focus
    • Healthy Harvest
    • Through an Artist's Eye
    • Future of Health
  • Connect

    Find Your Bezzy Community

    Bezzy communities provide meaningful connections with others living with chronic conditions. Join Bezzy on the web or mobile app.

    All
    • Breast Cancer
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Depression
    • Migraine
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Psoriasis

    Follow us on social media

    Can't get enough? Connect with us for all things health.

SubscribeWhy Do We Have Eyebrows?Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Erica Cirino — Updated on March 2, 2018
Share on Pinterest

Over many hundreds of thousands of years, humans lost much of the hair on their bodies. One place we haven’t lost it is above our eyes. So, you may be wondering — why do we have eyebrows?

What’s the purpose of eyebrows?

Experts say that eyebrows have two main purposes: keeping moisture out of our eyes and communication.

They protect our eyes from moisture and light

Physically, eyebrows are there to help keep our eyes clean and clear. They move wetness from sweat and rain away from our eyes so we can maintain our sight.

Ever notice how your eyebrow hairs grow outward, toward the sides of your face? That helps direct any moisture away from your eyes toward the side of your head. Eyebrows can also reduce the amount of light that gets into your eyes and keep dirt away from them, too.

They help us express emotions and recognize each other

Eyebrows are an important part of human expression and communication. They allow us to show our emotions. One raised eyebrow expresses skepticism or interest. Two raised eyebrows can express surprise.

Beyond looks and emotions, eyebrows are also more generally important for facial recognition. In one older 2003 study scientists asked a group of people to identify the faces of fifty famous people, such as former U.S. president Richard Nixon and actress Winona Ryder. The scientists manipulated the photos so that they’d either have no eyes or no eyebrows. Subjects could still identify the famous faces 60 percent of the time when they lacked eyes.

But when the faces lacked eyebrows, subjects could identify them just 46 percent of the time. Scientists said this indicates that eyebrows are just as important as — or maybe more important than — eyes in allowing us to recognize faces.

What role does genetics play in eyebrows?

Scientists have established that the shape, color, and thickness of your eyebrows are inherited traits.

In one major study in 2015, scientists found a strong relationship between inheritance of specific genes and eyebrow appearance.

Four separate genes may affect eyebrow hair texture, one gene may determine eyebrow shape, five genes affect eyebrow hair color, and one gene determines whether or not you develop a monobrow.

But, environmental factors also have a lot to do with how your eyebrows look. Years of waxing or tweezing your eyebrows can permanently affect their shape. Injuries to the skin near your eyebrows can also affect hair growth and eyebrow shape.

Just as eyebrow characteristics are inherited, so are abnormalities affecting the eyebrows. One of the most common abnormalities affecting eyebrows is madarosis, or loss of eyebrows. The term madarosis can also refer to loss of eyelashes. This can be caused by many different inherited disorders.

 

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
  • Adhikari K, et al. (2015). A genome-wideassociation scan in mixed Latin Americans identifies loci influencing facialand scalp hair features.https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms10815
  • Itin PH, et al. (1997). Superciliary upsweep ortented eyebrows. A distinct mendelian trait.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9270529
  • Kumar A, et al. (2012). Madarosis: A marker ofmany maladies.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358936/
  • Malvankar DD, et al. (2015). Keratosisfollicularis spinulosa decalvans: A report of three cases.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639957/
  • Sadr J, et al. (2003). The role of eyebrows inface recognition.http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1068/p5027

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Erica Cirino — Updated on March 2, 2018

Read this next

  • How Fast Will My Eyebrows Grow Back?Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP

    Most of the time, eyebrows do grow back, but how fast they grow will depend on your age and overall health. Here's what you need to know.

    READ MORE
  • Why Do I Have a Hairy Butt, and What Should I Do About It?Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI

    Most people have hair on their butt. Some have less, lighter hair and others have more, darker hair. Both are totally normal. However, sometimes…

    READ MORE
  • How to Get Rid of a UnibrowMedically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP

    If you’re wondering how to get rid of a unibrow, here are some effective methods and the long-term results for each.

    READ MORE
  • How to Manage Your Eye Health Away From Home?Medically reviewed by Vicente Diaz, MD, MBA

    Your eye health is important even when you're traveling away from home. You can take these steps in advance, and also talk with your eye doctor about…

    READ MORE
  • What is a Bruised Retina?Medically reviewed by Leela Raju, MD

    Known as commotio retinae, this eye trauma usually heals on its own within a week or up to a month, depending on how severe the initial injury was.

    READ MORE
  • How Do You Know If Glaucoma Eye Drops Aren't Working?Medically reviewed by Vicente Diaz, MD, MBA

    You may notice vision loss and changing glaucoma symptoms if your prescribed medicated eye drops stop working.

    READ MORE
  • Does Eyestrain Make Glaucoma Worse?Medically reviewed by Leela Raju, MD

    You can experience eyestrain and glaucoma at the same time. They aren't directly related, but certain factors of each eye condition can affect the…

    READ MORE
  • Is It OK to Wear An Eye Patch for Eyestrain?Medically reviewed by Leela Raju, MD

    Wearing an eye patch isn't recommended as a treatment option for eyestrain. An eye doctor may advise brief eye patch use for certain conditions or…

    READ MORE

Tag » Why Do People Have Eyebrows