8 Best ways how to get rid of unibrows
A unibrow (also referred to as a monobrow) is a single eyebrow created when the two eyebrows meet in the middle above the bridge of the nose.
The hair above the bridge of the nose often has the same color and thickness as the eyebrows giving the appearance that they converge to form one uninterrupted line of hair.
A unibrow is considered a sign of beauty in some parts of the world like Oman and Tajikistan.
In some other parts of the world like America and Europe, the unibrow is seen as an undesirable trait that needs to be plucked, shaved or waxed away.
If your part of the population that is not fond of your unibrow and would like to get rid of it, here are a few options you can choose from.
- Waxing your unibrow: Waxing is a very easy and quick way to get rid of your unibrows.
It is one of the most popular methods of large scale eyebrow hair removal. It involves applying wax to unwanted hair and adding a tape-like strip cloth on top.
After a while, you remove the piece of cloth quickly. The unwanted hair sticks to the underside of the strip. You can also perform this method using hot wax.
Waxing is not recommended for people with acne, irritated skin or moles in the area, sensitive skin and sunburn.
One importance of this method is that it pulls the hair from the roots so your results will be lasting for a long period of time.
This method could be performed at home, but to avoid damaging your brows, it is advised you get a professional to perform the process for a more perfect work.
If you still want to wax your unibrows at home, make use of at-home waxing kits with miniature strips for facial hair removal as they are easy to come by.
Also, make sure to follow the kit’s instructions carefully (including the part about cleaning and preparing the skin for the procedure).
- Pluck your unibrows: Most people [refer to pluck their unibrows as they see it as the best method to control it. Plucking is the least expensive form of hair removal, all you need is a tweezer.
A tweezer helps to weed out the unwanted hair from the middle patch. It is quite simple to perform but can be rather time-consuming because the tweezer can only target a few hair strands at a time.
One good thing about this method is that you’ll be escaping the pain you may have experienced from waxing your unibrows.
Plucking is a good option if your unibrow is sparse because if your unibrows are a lot denser, tweezing them one by one could be a really painful and slow process.
Some tweezing tips:
- Run hot water over a corner of a wash cloth and get your unibrow wet. If you just had a warm bath, you may skip this step as your pores have already been opened up from the hot bath you just had.
- Place the wet part of the washcloth on your unibrow until the washcloth cools. Repeat action two to three times as this will make tweezing easier and less painful
- Stand in front of a magnifying mirror so you can clearly see the hairs you want to remove. You can also use a normal mirror if you don’t have a magnifying mirror
- Gently scratch your skin taut and grip the bottom of your hair (near the root)
- Pull each hair out firmly in one swift motion
- Pull in the same direction the hair is growing. This helps to prevent breakage and decreases comfort)
- Apply an antibacterial soap and soothing lotion when you are done plucking the hair. This will ensure that the newly empty spores do not get bacteria in them thus leading to pimples.
If you get an irritation (the area becomes red and puffy) after tweezing, run ice cubes over the area to help reduce the redness and swelling.
You can also use a washcloth dipped in cold water or apply a small dab of hydrocortisone cream.
- Use a Depilatory cream: Depilatory cream works by melting your hair away with strong chemicals.
Depilatory cream removes unwanted hair at the surface of the skin rather than the root so you may likely need to use this method frequently as your unibrow may grow back faster.
This method is suitable for people who do not like the pain involved in tweezing or waxing.
A lot of potential dangers are associated with these methods and for this reason, you need to test your skin to see if the cream will cause irritation.
This is to ensure that the product is safe for your skin. Also, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guide and ideally seek counsel from someone who has experience using the cream.
Depilatory cream is not suitable for people with sensitive skin but if you’re determined to try it anyway, be sure to use a product made specifically for facial hair. A good example is Veet.
- Shave your brow: Shaving your unibrows is a temporary solution. The idea that shaving causes hair to grow back thicker and darker is a myth, so shaving your unibrow hair is safe.
However, shaving only touches the surface rather than pulling it out by the root. So it may require more maintenance than a waxed unibrow. The speed at which it grows back is mostly dependent on how quickly your facial hair grows.
A specifically designed eyebrow razor is the best choice for shaving your unibrow as it will give you a more precise and neat shave.
To also reduce stubble and skin irritation, use a small amount of standard shaving cream on the area your about to shave.
Wipe the shaving cream and hair off with a wet wash cloth after shaving.
If you missed several hairs, re-apply the shaving cream and go over the process again carefully. Using tweezers is also another method to pluck away only stray hairs.
- Laser Hair Removal: Laser hair removal is a popular semi-permanent option for getting rid of unibrows and other unwanted facial hair.
The process involves sending a strong beam of light beneath the skin where the heat of the laser is absorbed by dark-colored hair follicles damaging them and slowing hair growth in the future.
This method is performed by licensed professionals only. You may need to undergo about half a dozen treatments spaced several weeks apart to achieve a long-lasting result.
Scars and rashes may develop after treatment. Redness or swellings are also side effects associated with laser hair removal but can be reduced by using cold packs.
Laser hair removal is also most effective at removing dark hair on light skin. It doesn’t work on light-colored hair and may damage dark or tanned skin.
- Electrolysis for hair removal: The electrolysis method unlike the laser hair removal method is permanent. It also works on any skin complexion and removes hair of any color.
Electrolysis is a hair removal method that may be used by a dermatologist, licensed electrologist or esthetician.
During electrolysis, a needle-like electrode is inserted into the follicle of each visible hair one at a time, damaging the follicles with a mild electrical current.
The idea of this process Is to prevent the regrowth of the treated hairs but new hairs tend to grow in, so you’ll definitely need another treatment for the new hairs that may develop.
The con associated with this method is that it is quite expensive and not covered by insurance.
It is also time-consuming and you’ll need at least five sessions over a number of months to eliminate all your unibrows.
- Thread your unibrows: The concept of threading is the same as waxing and plucking. It removes hair from the root which means your result will last longer than the result you’ll get from shaving.
The downside of this method is that it needs a lot of expertise to get perfect results.
- Use Sugar wax: This method is as painful as a conventional waxing kit, but its useful if you don’t have the waxing kit at home and don’t wish to buy one.
Procedure:
2 tbs (10ml) brown sugar
1 tbs (5ml) honey
1 tbs (5ml) water
- Combine brown sugar, honey and water and mix thoroughly
- Microwave mixture for 30 seconds, stirring in 10 seconds intervals with a spoon. Ensure the mixture is a bubble and looks brown.
- Le the wax cool slightly, just a little warmer than room temperature. At this point, the wax should be fairly thick but still soft.
- Apply the wax to your unibrows using a spatula or your finger
Note: To locate your unibrow starting and ending point, hold a brush up against the side of either nostril and identify the point of your brow vertically equal to this placement. That point is where your eyebrow should begin.
- Press a cleaning cloth strip against the wax covering as much of the wax as possible
- Let the wax harden and cling to the fabric for 30 to 60 seconds, then quickly rip the cloth away in one fast, fluid motion. Any leftover hairs could be removed with a tweezer.
- Place a pea-sized dab of hydrocortisone cream over the waxed area to soothe any irritation.
SUMMARY
Getting rid of your unibrows shouldn’t be a problem. Waxing, plucking, shaving them and so on are all methods that have been proven effective in getting rid of unibrows.
Talking to a dermatologist about your unibrows before considering options like electrolysis and laser hair removal is highly recommended. You will also be able to get recommendations on the best methods for your skin and hair type to prevent severe side effects.