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Eyebrow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (July 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| Eyebrow | |
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| An unmodified male eyebrow and eye | |
| Latin | supercilium |
| MeSH | Eyebrows |
The eyebrow is an area of coarse skin hairs above the eye that follows the shape of the brow ridges.
The main function of the eyebrow is to prevent moisture, mostly salty sweat and rain, from flowing into the eye, an organ critical to sight. The typical curved shape of the eyebrow (with a slant on the side) and the direction in which eyebrow hairs are pointed, make sure that moisture has a tendency to flow sideways around the eyes, along the side of the head and along the nose. The slightly protruding brow ridges of modern humans could also still play a supporting role in this process.[citation needed] Together with the eyebrows, the brow ridges also shade the eyes from sunlight.
Eyebrows also prevent debris such as dandruff and other small objects from falling into the eyes, as well as providing a more sensitive sense for detecting objects being near the eye, like small insects.
Eyebrows also have an important facilitative function in communication, strengthening expressions like surprise or anger.
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This article or section deals primarily with the English-speaking world and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
It is common for people to pluck their eyebrows to maintain a clean and fashionable appearance with the use of tweezers and waxing. Threading eyebrows has also become a popular method because it does not pull at the skin. All of these methods can be painful for some seconds or minutes due to the sensitivity of the area around the eye but often this pain decreases over time as the individual becomes used to the sensation.
Some people also choose to get an eyebrow piercing.
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This eye article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
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| General | Eyebrow - Eyelid - Canthus - Eyelash - Ciliary glands - Orbital septum - Plica semilunaris - Meibomian gland |
| Lacrimal apparatus | Lacrimal lake - Lacrimal gland - Lacrimal canaliculi - Lacrimal punctum - Lacrimal papilla - Nasolacrimal duct - Lacrimal sac |