Everything on our body has a purpose, but what are EYEBROWS for?

Answer 1

to stop my dandruff falling in my eyes

Answer 2

This is a question that has troubled many a student of human anatomy! No one really knows for sure but there are a few theories.

Eyebrows are an important part of the upper eyelid

At the last meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, Jean Carruthers MD, clinical professor, department of ophthalmology, University of British Columbia, called the eyebrow the 'curtain rod' for the upper lid.

In other words, in order for the upper eyelid to work, the muscles that form the lid have to pull themselves up against something. The eyelid muscles are attached to the structure of the brow, which therefore is rather like the wooden pole at the top of a blind, or a curtain rod.

Protecting the eye

Another theory is that evolution has shaped the bony protuberance of the eyebrow, because it's very important in forming some protection to the soft part of the eyeball, along with other bones of the face. Without the bones which surround and protect the eye, any blow across the face would damage the eyes. Instead, the eyebrows help to stop anything which hits the face.

This is a good idea but evolution clearly wasn't prepared for the squash ball! I have seen plenty of cases in A&E where a squash player has had a ball straight in the eye (it's a great fit!) resulting in severe damage to the eyeball.

Catching sweat

The eyebrow may play a part in diverting sweat from the brow down the side of the face and away from the eyes where it would play havoc with vision.

This may explain why the eyebrows are hairy - one of the few bits of facial hair to remain long after man lost the hairy skin of his ape predecessors. The hairs guide fluid sideways, and without them the fluid would drip down like a curtain in front of the eyes - a definite evolutionary disadvantage!

Facial expressions

There's no doubt that our eyebrows play a very important part in non-verbal communication. Like all the muscles of the face, those around the eye constantly react subconsciously to our thoughts and emotions.

So eyebrows may be another way of saying 'look out,' 'danger,' 'well I never' or even 'I love you!' Try watching how your friends' eyebrows move and see if you can see what they say.

These days we have taken this communication to a fine art with sophisticated eyebrow decoration ranging from delicate plucking to eyebrows pierced with thick nails.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Trisha Macnair in December 2005.

Answer 3

The eyebrow is a bony ridge above the eye that protects the eye and bears a tuft of facial hair in most mammals. The main function of the eyebrows is to prevent moisture (mostly sweat and rain) from dripping into the eye. 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 flows sideways of the eyes (mainly along the side of the head but also along the nose). Eyebrows also prevent debris such as dandruff and other small objects from falling into the eyes, as well as providing a sense of something being near the eye.

For more info see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyebrows

Answer 4

The main function of the eyebrows is to prevent moisture (mostly sweat and rain) from dripping into the eye. 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 flows sideways of the eyes (mainly along the side of the head but also along the nose). Eyebrows also prevent debris such as dandruff and other small objects from falling into the eyes, as well as providing a sense of something being near the eye.

Answer 5

Wow ... 36 answers in less than 50 minutes ... and not one person has mentioned this. I should get 10 points just for being the only one to point this out:

IT'S *NOT* TRUE THAT EVERYTHING ON OUR BODY HAS A PURPOSE.

There are many examples, from the appendix, to the coccyx (tailbone), to nipples on men (which are there because of embryological relationship with women).

One of my favorites is the plantaris muscle in the calf. (Seriously, google it.) This is a long thin muscle with no function in humans ... and is so undeveloped that many a med student has mistaken it for a nerve. It is so useless, it is a favorite for surgeons to harvest for reconstructive surgery elsewhere (such as heart surgery). It is so useless in fact that 9% of humans don't have one at all. Why is it there in 91% of humans if it has no purpose? Because, although it serves no purpose in humans, it is very important in other apes ... it is the muscle that enables grasping with the feet! (If that isn't an example of evidence of evolution to you, then you're really trying hard *not* to look.)

That said, however, eyebrows do seem to have two or three functions. The bony ridge is the anchor for muscles used for the eyelids; the hair on the ridge keeps sweat out of our eyes; and it has a useful purpose for communication using expression (the same reason we have many facial muscles, which have no other purpose than facial expressions).

Answer 6

Eyebrows are a very significant aspect of our appearance. They are one of the most distinctive features that make up our faces, and we pay a lot of attention to them. We think of some types of eyebrows as attractive and some as unattractive, and many people spend as much time preening their eyebrows as they do applying makeup to their eyelashes or lips. Eyebrows are also one of our most expressive facial features. One of the clearest ways to tell somebody what you're thinking is to simply move your eyebrows up or down -- we all know what different eyebrow positions mean.
So, eyebrows obviously serve a lot of functions in our culture today -- beauty, nonverbal communication, distinctive appearance. But why are they there in the first place? As we evolved and lost most of the thick hair on our bodies, why did we keep that little bit over the eyes?

Answer 7

Eyebrows prevent moisture from dripping into the eye. Eyebrows also prevent debris such as dandruff and other small objects from falling into the eyes.

P.S. Nipples on men do have a purpose... Sexual stimulation...

Answer 8

Eyebrows were sharp on early primates, as they used to protect their eyes from the effects of rain and sun. For example monkeys have clearly grown eybrows that protected their vision during rainy seasons. This helps them moving from one tree to the other without loosing sight. We inherit the eyebrows from our ancestors but with human evolution eyebrows will disappear on humans as it doesnt serve much of a purpose

Answer 9

This may explain why the eyebrows are hairy - one of the few bits of facial hair to remain long after man lost the hairy skin of his ape predecessors. The hairs guide fluid sideways, and without them the fluid would drip down like a curtain in front of the eyes - a definite evolutionary disadvantage!

Answer 10

Eyebrows stop sweat from running into your eyes

Answer 11

Since when did everything on our body have a purpose? You can have your appendix and tonsils removed, and they make absolutely no difference.

You can also operate normally with only one kidney, half your liver, and various other stuff. But I guess the reason we have two kidneys etc. is if one of them stops working.