Eyebrow threading is a depilation technique which originated in India, although it is also widely practiced in the Middle East. Salons in Western nations offered the service to Middle Eastern clients for decades before European women became interested and the popularity of eyebrow threading skyrocketed. The hair removal technique is not just for the eyebrows: threading can be used to remove other facial and body hair as well.
The technique is sometimes listed on salon menus as khite or fatlah, which are both Arabic words for threading. Eyebrow threading involves twisting a piece of thread, usually cotton, into a double strand. This double stranded thread is used to pick up a line of hair and then remove it, creating a very clean, precise hairline. Eyebrow threading is the technique preferred by Indian movie stars, who are often distinguished by their crisp brow lines.