Forehead reduction surgery is a cosmetic procedure that can help reduce forehead height.
Larger foreheads can be due to genetics, hair loss, or other cosmetic procedures. This surgical intervention – also known as hairline lowering surgery – can help balance your facial proportions. It differs from the brow lift procedure.
Procedure
Your plastic surgeon will take the following steps during the procedure:
- The forehead area to be removed will be marked with a special skin marker. It is of utmost importance that hair follicles and nerves are preserved during the hairline trimming.
- The entire forehead, from the hairline to just above the eyebrows, is numbed with local anesthesia.
- An incision is made along the marked area of the forehead and the hairline. The surgeon will carefully remove the skin in the area marked for excision.
- Next, the upper cut along the hairline is pulled down to meet the cut on the forehead. This closes the gap and shortens the forehead.
- The skin is sutured together in a way that minimizes scar formation and is almost entirely hidden by the hairline with regrowth of hair.
- It should be noted that although a forehead reduction surgery reduces forehead height and can alter the appearance of the eyebrows, it does not necessarily lift the eyebrows.
- If necessary, a separate procedure called a brow lift can be performed simultaneously with a hairline lowering surgery.
Recovery
Most people can go home within a few hours after surgery. You will need to return to the office to have your stitches removed in the next week and a half. You will also be asked to return for observation and follow-up appointments approximately 2 to 4 weeks after surgery.
As with any procedure involving an incision, care must be taken to keep the wound clean and allow it to heal properly.
You will want to check frequently for signs of infection at the incision site. Your doctor will also provide you with post-operative instructions on how to properly care for your surgical incision, including how to reduce pain, swelling, and the risk of infection.
Who is the surgery suitable for?
A forehead reduction surgery can be used to balance the proportions of the overall facial structure. You may benefit from forehead reduction surgery if you have:
- high hairline and you want to lower it
- a large forehead and you want to shorten your forehead
- Thick hair that is disproportionate to your hairline
- low eyebrows and you want to change your face proportions
- You recently had a hair transplant procedure and want to augment your hairline
- You recently had a brow lift procedure and want to advance your hairline.
However, not everyone is a suitable candidate for forehead reduction surgery.
For the procedure to be successful, you need good scalp laxity (the ability of scalp tissues to stretch). If you have a family history of baldness, a forehead reduction surgery may not be suitable for you.
If you have other medical conditions that would put you at risk for surgical complications, you should discuss them with your doctor before making a decision.
What are the potential risks and side effects?
All surgical procedures carry risks. Risks of forehead reduction surgery include:
- bleeding during and after surgery
- Side effects of general anesthesia
- Allergy to general or local anesthesia
- Infection at the incision site
- nerve damage at the incision site
- Paresthesia at the surgical site
- Hair loss where the hairline was shaved
- Scars after incision healing
For most people, the benefits of forehead reduction surgery outweigh the risks. If the surgery is performed by an experienced, qualified specialist, the risk of a visible scar and long-term consequences is minimal.
