7 Skin and Beauty Problems, Solved

Problem: You Over-Tweezed and Now Your Brows Are Too Thin

Solution: First grab a photograph of yourself in which your brows look great, advises New York City makeup artist Morgen Schick. Then fill in your brows with a pencil until they match what you see in the picture. “Pick a soft-textured pencil that’s the same color as your brows and fill in the gaps where there’s no hair,” says Brett Freedman, a Los Angeles makeup artist. To avoid the stenciled-on effect, use short, quick strokes and blend with a brow brush. Do this daily until your hair begins to come in again. Fortunately, “brows typically grow fast—you’ll see some regrowth within a week,” says Freedman. “Within three to four weeks, they should be back to normal.” Some brow experts swear that prescription hair-growth and regrowth products, like Latisse and Rogaine, work for brows, but they haven’t received FDA approval for that purpose.

 

Problem: You Left a Whitening Strip on Too Long and Your Teeth Are Splotchy

Solution: Teeth are naturally uneven in color, and “sometimes when you use whitening products, the light areas become noticeably whiter, so you really see the contrast,” says Gigi Meinecke, a dentist in Potomac, Maryland, and a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. To remedy the situation, take a break from the strips. You should see those contrasts fade within a week or two. If your teeth feel unusually sensitive after whitening (the hydrogen peroxide in bleaching products is usually the culprit), switch to a desensitizing toothpaste, such as Sensodyne. These pastes contain potassium nitrate, strontium chloride, or potassium citrate, says Meinecke, all of which, with repeated use, can reduce sensitivity by blanketing the tiny pores on the teeth. “Listen to your teeth. If temperature extremes bother them, avoid hot or cold foods or drinks for a few days,” says Meinecke. If the sensitivity persists, see your dentist.