Fashion Q&A: Will waxed eyebrows regrow?

Q: How long does it take for eyebrows to grow? I had my brows waxed almost four months ago, and the beautician made them way too thin. Since then, very few new hairs have sprouted. I am losing hope of ever having full brows.

A: Be patient — and hopeful — a little longer. It usually takes at least six months for eyebrows to fully grow back. In the meantime, you can make your brows appear fuller with an eyebrow pencil, powder or thickening gel.

Keep your eyebrow pencil well-sharpened, and use short, light strokes in the direction of hair growth. Touch up any remaining gaps with a few light strokes of eyebrow powder. Or try a thickener, such as Talika Eyebrow Extender, a translucent gel filled with flexible, hairlike fibers.

It’s also worth noting that brows become more sparse as we grow older, and plucked hairs take longer to grow back — if they regenerate at all. Rather than plucking stray gray hairs, restore the color with one of the many eyebrow tinting products available in drugstores.

Q: Is it true that hair extensions cause your hair to fall out?

A: Not exactly. However, wearing extensions for prolonged periods may cause a form of hair loss called traction alopecia. Attaching the extensions puts pressure on the hair follicles (sacs from which hair grows) and dermal papilla (cells at the base of the follicles that produce hair). Continued pressure may lead to gradual hair loss. Tight ponytails also can cause trauma to the follicles.

Limit the amount of time you wear extensions or tight hairstyles, and you shouldn’t suffer any hair loss.

Q: I quite often wear hats and love all the compliments they attract. However, I hate the way they give me hat hair. They flatten my hairstyle and leave a circular dent where the hat rests on my head. Is there any cure for hat hair?

A: I don’t know about a cure, but there are preventive steps you can take.

First, make sure your hats are not too small. The looser the fit, the less impression the hat will make on your hair.

It also helps if the hat is lined with a smooth, silk headband. Or you could try the movie-star-on-the-Riviera look, and wear a silk scarf under your hat. Although the scarf will smooth and flatten your hair, it will prevent that ring-around-the-head effect.

Finally, don’t put on a hat immediately after washing and blow-drying your hair. When your hair is still warm, and especially if you have used products such as straighteners or leave-in conditioners, it will take on the shape of your hat.