People sneeze in response to the respiratory epithelium lining inside the nose being irritated by something usually external, such as dust particles or allergens entering the nose, or something internal, such as a respiratory infection. Histamine or leukotriene chemicals are released in reaction to the lining being acerbated, which causes increased fluid leakage in an attempt by the body to eliminate the irritation, according to Dr. Pamela Georgeson, a contributor to the Scientific American website. Nerve endings inside the nose are also provoked, generating an itching sensation as well. A nerve called the trigeminal nerve is irritated when eyebrows are plucked, which may cause sneezing and watery eyes in some individuals.
Trigeminal Nerve
Also referred to as the fifth cranial nerve, or the CN5, the trigeminal nerve is responsible for the majority of facial sensations. Although predominantly a sensory nerve, the CN5 also directs some motor functions such as swallowing and chewing. The part of the trigeminal nerve causing allergic reactions during eyebrow plucking is the V1, or ophthalmic nerve, which transmits sensory data from the forehead, parts of the eye, nose, frontal sinuses and scalp to a reflex mechanism in the brain controlling sneezing. So even though eyebrow plucking has nothing to do with sinuses, irritating of trigeminal nerves branching out on the forehead may make a person sneeze.
Controlling Allergic Reactions From Eyebrow Tweezing
Taking antihistamines before tweezing to block nasal histamine receptors may reduce the amount of sneezing or itching. Decongestants effectively reduce nasal congestion by constricting blood vessels and opening swelled sinus passages. Using a nasal steroid spray before plucking eyebrows may also alleviate symptoms of an allergic reaction by blocking release of histamine-induced sneezing. According to Oprah.com, Dr. Cynthia Boxrud of the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA says that by pressing your fingertip anywhere on your eyebrow while you tweeze, you may be able to "short-circuit" the trigeminal nerve wiring and inhibit sneezing fits.
Plucking Tips
Some ways to alleviate pain of eyebrow tweezing and hard-to-pull eyebrows include numbing the eyebrows by rubbing an over-the-counter numbing agent on the eyebrow hairs and surrounding area. Try softening eyebrows before plucking by applying hair conditioner or shaving cream containing aloe vera to them. In addition, laying a hot, damp cloth over eyebrows for several minutes should relax hair follicle openings to make pulling out eyebrows easier and less painful. Tweezing eyebrows directly after taking a hot, steamy show works in this way as well.
Eyebrow Wax
If you suffer from intense allergic reactions from tweezing eyebrows, you may want to consider having your eyebrows waxed. Although the trigeminal nerve is still going to be stimulated, waxing is quicker than tweezing because it eliminates many hairs in one pull of the waxing strip. Sneezing and itching won't continue as they do when plucking one eyebrow at a time. In addition, waxing reduces the need to trim eyebrows every week or two because it pulls out the hair from the root. Plucking may pull out only the upper part of the eyebrow hair and leave the root in the follicle, where it can quickly begin growing again.
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