Back at the end of 2021, Chrissy Teigen shared the news that she had undergone an operation that most of didn't even know existed - an eyebrow transplant.
Sharing the results on her Instagram, she explained that her reason behind wanting the procedure was so she could wear less make-up.
“I never wear makeup if I can avoid it, so I was so excited for this eyebrow transplant surgery,” she wrote. Before adding, “They take hairs from the back of your head!!”
Wanting to speed up her make-up routine wasn't the only reason behind Chrissy's decision to go ahead with the procedure.
Sharing her excitement for her new arches, Chrissy gave a warning to any teens who might be tempted to get tweezer happy, writing, “Teens: Do not pluck them all off like I did!!”
It's now been around six months since Chrissy first had her eyebrow transplant (which was performed by Dr Jason Diamond M.D) and she took to Instagram to share an update on how they're doing.
Wearing nothing but a towel, Chrissy posted a picture with her super long brows brushed down. While our hairs wouldn't reach that far, Chrissy's are almost touching her eyelid, which, as she herself described "is a blessing and a curse".
"Blessing and a curse, this eyebrow procedure. 10/10 would do again lol," she wrote.
If sparse, thin brows are an insecurity of yours you would like to work on, here is everything you need to know about getting the procedure, including what exactly is involved, how long it takes to recover and most importantly, how much it costs.
What is an eyebrow transplant?
Let us start with the basics. Eyebrow transplants are performed under a local aesthetic meaning you won't feel anything as the area is numbed via injection, but you will be awake. Like hair transplants more commonly associated with male baldness, hairs are taken from the back of your head and reinserted into your eyebrows one by one.
As eyebrow transplants gain popularity it's important to do your research as Dr. Nilofer Farjo, Hair Restoration and founder of Farjo Hair Institute, tells us:
'An eyebrow transplant, or reconstructive surgery, can often help to restore eyebrows. However, it requires a lot of precision and knowledge regarding anatomy, designing of brows, extraction and implantation techniques in order to achieve a natural look. Eyebrow hairs do not all sit in the same direction: some face slightly upwards, some down, all combining into a herringbone pattern.'
How does an eyebrow transplant work?
'The process of an eyebrow transplant typically involves removing a section of hair, most commonly from the back of your scalp, and grafting the individual hairs to your eyebrow/s,' says Dr. Farjo. 'This process helps to shape the brow and fill in areas of thinning, whilst maintaining a natural look.
On average, a typical procedure involves 400 transplanted grafts, although this can vary between patients.'
How many procedures do I need, and what is the recovery like?
Dr. Farjo reassures us that 'eyebrow microsurgery can often be completed in one session, which can take approximately three to four hours, from start to finish.
Your eyebrow area will be a little delicate for a few days after the procedure, which is totally normal and nothing to be alarmed about. It will quickly return to normal after a few days; however, it will take around six months for the new strands of hair to fully settle and to look their best.'
Celebrity hairstylist and founder of Ouai, Jen Atkin also underwent an eyebrow transplant and like Chrissy regularly shares updates. Here are her brows 4 months post op.
How successful is an eyebrow transplant?
British hair transplant expert, Spencer Stevenson, vouches for the success of eyebrow transplants.
'An eyebrow hair transplant can be very successful, especially when performed by an appropriate artistic and ethical surgeon who knows what they’re doing. It is key that the surgeon performing the hair transplant for eyebrow hair transplant has a vast amount of specific experience and the artistic ability to replicate what mother nature intended.
I would certainly recommend an eyebrow transplant for anybody that is suffering from scars, naturally sparse hair growth, or misshapen brows. It’s a very common procedure, especially with women.
A great organisation to look at as a starting point is the IAHRS.org for a surgeon who has the ability and is competent to perform such a surgery,' recommends Stevenson.
And finally, how much does an eyebrow transplant cost?
'An eyebrow hair transplant can cost anything in the region of £2000 to £4000 depending on the surgeon and the amount of work required,' says Spencer. Want something else to sink your teeth into? 'Hair transplant patients regularly call into The Bald Truth UK radio show on ApetoGentleman to discuss their surgeries as well as eyebrow surgeries.'
You can follow hair health mentor and consultant Spencer Stevenson on his website Spex****__.