Prominent Brow Ridges Explained (Plus, How to Minimize Them)

Double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner discusses prominent brow ridges and what causes them

A prominent brow ridge is a large bony ridge that sits just above the eye socket. This unique feature is often associated with having Neanderthal DNA—but is that actually true? In this article, we explain what a prominent brow ridge is, what causes it, and even dig into how to minimize it, with help from double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner. Read on to learn all about the prominent brow ridge (including its ancient origins).

Prominent Brow Ridge: A Brief Overview

An illustration showing the profile of someone with a prominent brow ridge versus the profile of someone without a prominent brow ridge.

According to double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner, a prominent brow ridge is a protruding bony ridge that sits right on the brow. It’s caused by genetics, the size of your frontal bone and frontal sinus, age, and evolutionary factors. It is also known as the supraorbital ridge and Neanderthal brow ridge.

Section 1 of 5:

What is a prominent brow ridge?

  1. A prominent brow ridge is a strong, protruding frontal bone.
    Dr. Turner explains that a prominent brow ridge is “the bony ridge formed at the point where the eyebrows live.”[1] Also known as the Neanderthal brow ridge, the prominent brow ridge is known for its strong protrusions, which resemble the brow of a Neanderthal (and for some members of the population, even comes from the now extinct Neanderthal).
    • A prominent brow ridge is often paired with a sloped forehead, which makes the brow ridge look even bigger than it already is.
    • The prominent brow ridge is also known as the supraorbital ridge.[2]
    • The prominent brow ridge is a normal genetic trait and isn’t typically associated with any medical conditions. While it’s perfectly normal, some people do minimize them with surgical and non-surgical procedures.
    • A prominent brow ridge is more common in men than in women.[3]

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Ellen Turner is a Double Board-Certified Dermatologist based in Dallas, Texas. She offers an array of dermatology services, including medical, cosmetic, surgical, and laser procedures.

    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 5:

Causes of Prominent Brow Ridges

  1. Step 1 Natural forehead formation
    The size of the frontal bone and frontal sinus are some of the biggest determining factors when it comes to whether or not the brow ridges are prominent. Located just behind the frontal bone, the frontal sinus develops during your childhood and teen years, alongside the frontal bone.[4] If the two grow large enough, they can start to protrude outward, causing the prominent brow ridge.
  2. Step 2 Testosterone
    Dr. Turner explains that testosterone plays a role in prominent brow ridge development, which is why it’s more common in males.[5] The prominent brow ridge tends to develop between puberty and early adulthood. When a male hits puberty and testosterone levels increase, this can lead to increased bone density, which often leads to thicker, more robust bones, especially in the brow ridge.[6]
  3. Step 3 Genetics
    Not only do people with parents who have a prominent brow ridge get it passed down through genetics, but people with Neanderthal DNA in their bloodline also have a good chance at getting the trait down. When Neanderthals and humans roamed the earth together, they interbred. This interbreeding led to many modern-day humans having a bit of Neanderthal DNA within them (1-2% of DNA to be exact).[7]
    • The interbreeding primarily occurred in the European and Asian regions, meaning non-Africans are the ones who carry Neanderthal DNA.
    • Just because you have a prominent brow ridge doesn’t mean you have Neanderthal DNA. Your family members may just have larger frontal bones and frontal sinuses than the average person.
    4. Advertisement
Section 3 of 5:

Is a prominent brow ridge attractive?

  1. Yes, a prominent brow ridge is considered attractive by many people.
    The prominent brow ridge is a physical trait that many people love! Attractiveness is subjective, which means that different people find different things attractive. What may seem like a unique difference to some is a beautiful, stunning facial addition to others. There are plenty of people out there who think it’s the most attractive thing they’ve ever seen (even if you haven’t met them).
    • A prominent brow ridge is actually a sign of masculinity and strength for some people!
    • If you’re a woman with a prominent brow ridge, this doesn’t mean you look masculine, however. Many beautiful women have prominent brow ridges, including Cara Delevingne, Emma Watson, and Rita Ora.
Section 4 of 5:

How to Minimize Your Prominent Brow Ridge

  1. Step 1 Use makeup to contour your brows and make them look smaller.
    Contouring makes certain parts of the face darker and other parts lighter, which can create the illusion of shadow and light. Apply a light concealer or powder on the brow bone and a darker contour shade just below it to create a shadow. Apply a subtle highlighter to the highest point of your brow bone, and use a lighter concealer to create a more sculpted effect.[8]
  2. Step 2 Opt for a hairstyle that covers your brow ridge, like bangs.
    Professional hair stylist Courtney Foster says that bangs are a great way to make the forehead look smaller.[9] As long as they’re long enough to drape over your brow, bangs can minimize your prominent brow ridge as well, hiding it from view and drawing attention away from the protruding look.
  3. Step 3 Consider non-surgical procedures like Botox and hyaluronic acid filler.
    Dr. Turner says a prominent brow ridge can be minimized with neuromodulators, fillers, and newer devices like Emface. These new devices “combine electromagnetic energy with radio frequency energy in order to tone the facial muscles of expression and soften [the] ridge.”[10]
  4. Step 4 Consider a brow bone reduction for a more permanent solution.
    Brow bone reduction is a surgical procedure that involves shaving down the brow bone to your preferred size.[12] This invasive procedure comes with a fair share of risks, though, if not done by a licensed surgeon with a history of successful brow bone reductions. These risks include infection, bleeding, and frontal sinus complications, so tread lightly if you’re considering this one.
    5. Advertisement
Section 5 of 5:

Taking Pride In Your Prominent Brow Ridge

  1. Step 1 Don’t let people’s comments influence the way you see yourself.
    Since your facial structure is a bit different from other people’s, they may want to bother you or call out your differences. While this isn’t something you can control, you can control how you respond to their comments. Rather than letting them impact how you see yourself, brush the comments off and remember that just because you’re different doesn’t mean that you’re unattractive or that there’s something wrong with you.
  2. Step 2 Take pride in the fact that you’re living proof of history!
    While not always the case, if you have a prominent brow ridge, there’s a chance you have some Neanderthal DNA. How cool is that? You might just be living, walking proof of the historical relationship between homo-sapiens (modern humans) and Neanderthals. Instead of being self-conscious about your prominent brow ridge, wear it with pride, as you’re showing off a piece of history!
    3. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Submit
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

You Might Also Like

Sloped ForeheadDo You Have a Sloped Forehead? Here’s Why & What it Means
High Cheekbones MenWhat Do High Cheekbones Look Like on Men? (Plus, How to Get Them)
What Causes a UnibrowWhat Causes a Unibrow? Your Top 6 Unibrow Questions Answered
Widows Peak MeaningWhat Having a Widow’s Peak Means (and What to Do if You Have One)
Aquiline NoseAquiline Nose: What It Looks Like & What It Symbolizes
Nubian NoseAll About the Nubian Nose (& How it Compares to Other Noses)
Make Your Forehead Smaller
How to
Get a Smaller Forehead with Hairstyling, Makeup or Surgery
Pointy ChinWhat a Pointy Chin Is & How to Change the Look of It
High CheekbonesWhat are High and Low Cheekbones? How to Tell Which Ones You Have
Weak ChinAll About Weak Chins: Causes, Treatments, & When to See a Doctor
Low Set EyebrowsAll About Low-Set Eyebrows: How to Fix Them or Get Them
Hairstyles for Big Foreheads MaleThe Best Hairstyles for Guys with Big Foreheads
Different Types of NosesA Guide to Nose Shapes (Plus What Yours Says About You)
Short PhiltrumAll About Short Philtrums: What Causes Them & If They’re Attractive
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ Ellen Turner. Double Board-Certified Dermatologist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://nextstepsinderm.com/derm-topics/social-significance-of-the-eyebrows-and-periorbital-complex/
  3. ↑ https://www.science.org/content/article/face-aggression
  4. ↑ https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/frontal-sinus
  5. ↑ Ellen Turner. Double Board-Certified Dermatologist. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://leakeyfoundation.org/the-rise-of-culture-and-the-fall-of-testosterone/
  7. ↑ https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2023/06/lingering-effects-neanderthal-dna-found-modern-humans
  8. ↑ https://www.ilashandbrow.com/fixing-prominent-brow-bone-expert-tips
  9. ↑ Courtney Foster. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview
  1. ↑ Ellen Turner. Double Board-Certified Dermatologist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Ellen Turner. Double Board-Certified Dermatologist. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://www.realself.com/surgical/brow-bone-reduction
  4. ↑ Ellen Turner. Double Board-Certified Dermatologist. Expert Interview

About This Article

Ellen Turner
Co-authored by:
Ellen Turner
Double Board-Certified Dermatologist
This article was co-authored by Ellen Turner and by wikiHow staff writer, Marcus Pruitt, BS. Dr. Ellen Turner is a Double Board-Certified Dermatologist based in Dallas, Texas. She is board-certified in dermatology through the American Board of Physician Specialties and in functional medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Turner is the founder of the Dermatology Office, with locations in Dallas and Irving, offering an array of dermatology services, including medical, cosmetic, surgical, and laser procedures. She is an Allergan Master Injector Emeritus, and she focuses on elective aesthetic procedures in her medical practice, including Silhouette InstaLift™, BOTOX®, Juvéderm®, Restylane®, Emface, Exion, and laser and light-based devices. Dr. Turner is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the Texas Dermatology Society, the Dallas Dermatology Society, the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, and the Dallas County Medical Society. She is also a member of the medical staff at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas . She recently served as the Dallas chairman of the board of APEX, a network of independent physician specialists devoted to improving the quality of medical care in Texas and beyond. Dr. Turner performed her medical school training at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Lubbock and her dermatology residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. This article has been viewed 3,112 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 7
Updated: December 4, 2025
Views: 3,112
Categories: Attractive Appearance
In other languages
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 3,112 times.

Did this article help you?

Advertisement