What should you know about dry skin around eyebrows?

The eyebrow area can become rough, itchy or flaky after brow tinting, waxing, threading, makeup, cleansers or fragranced skincare. Atopic Dermatitis may affect the face, while Psoriasis can create more defined scale that extends beyond the brows. Asteatotic Eczema is another possible cause of dry, cracked skin, although the face is not the only place it can occur.

Flaking around the brows can overlap with irritation of nearby skin, so the pattern, timing and products used matter. A clinician can check whether the problem is simple dryness, inflammation or a reaction to contact.

Clean with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free, non-scrubbing product. Pat dry and apply a thin layer of bland moisturiser to the skin around the brow, keeping it away from the eyes. Stop exfoliants, retinoids, essential oils, new brow products and makeup on the irritated area until it settles. Do not scrape flakes or wax over broken skin.

If the area repeatedly scales, a dermatologist may recommend targeted treatment rather than repeated product changes. Emollient Therapy can help when barrier dryness is contributing.

Arrange a review if the rash spreads, cracks, bleeds, becomes painful, oozes or causes brow-hair loss, or if it keeps returning after you remove possible irritants. Seek prompt help for facial swelling, eye pain, vision change or rapidly worsening redness.

Ask whether a brow product or procedure could be responsible, whether the pattern fits Atopic Dermatitis or Psoriasis, which moisturiser is safe near the eyes, and what to use if the scaling returns.