Forehead reduction surgery: Procedure, cost, other options

Forehead reduction surgery is a surgery that is usually done under general anesthesia. Local anesthetic is also used in the forehead area to help reduce pain and bleeding.

Procedure

Your plastic surgeon will take the following steps during the procedure:

1. The hairline and forehead area to be removed will be marked with a surgical skin marker. Great care is taken to ensure that the cut along the hairline preserves the hair follicles and nerves.
2. The entire forehead, from the hairline to just above the eyebrows, is numbed using local anesthetic.
3. An incision is made along the marked area of ​​the forehead and hairline (also called a pre-hairline incision). The surgeon will carefully separate the skin from the connective tissue underneath and cut the area marked for removal.
4. The upper incision along the hairline is then pulled down to join the forehead incision. This closes the gap and shortens the forehead.
5. The skin is stitched together in a way that minimizes scarring and is almost completely hidden by the hairline as the hair regrows.

It should be noted that although brow reduction surgery reduces the height of the forehead and may change the appearance of the brows, it does not necessarily lift the brows.

If necessary, a separate surgery called a brow lift can be performed at the same time as the hairline reduction surgery.

Recovery

Most people can go home within a few hours after surgery. You will need to return to the doctor’s office to have stitches removed in the next week and a half. You will also be asked to return for follow-up and post-operative tests approximately 2 to 4 weeks after surgery.

As with any surgery involving an incision, great care should be taken to keep the wound clean and allow it to heal properly.

You will want to check frequently for any signs of infection at the incision site. Your doctor will also give you post-operative instructions on how to properly care for your surgical incision, including how to reduce pain, swelling and the risk of infection.

Forehead reduction surgery can be used to balance the proportions of one’s overall facial structure. You may benefit from forehead reduction surgery if you have:

• high hairline and you want to reduce your hairline
• a large forehead and you want to shorten your forehead
• thick hair that is disproportionate to the height of your hairline
• low or heavy eyebrows and you want to change the proportions of your face
• you recently had a hair transplant procedure and wish to increase your hairline
• I recently had a brow lift procedure and wish to bring your hairline forward

However, even with these criteria, not everyone is a suitable candidate for forehead reduction surgery.

To have a successful forehead reduction surgery, you must first have good scalp relaxation (the ability of the scalp tissues to stretch). If you have a family history of baldness, forehead reduction surgery may not be right for you.

If you have other medical conditions that would put you at risk for complications from surgery, you should discuss them with your doctor before proceeding.

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 of the incision site
• nerve damage where the incision was made
• paresthesia at the site of surgery
• hair loss where the hairline was cut
• scars after the incision has healed

For most people, the benefits of forehead reduction surgery outweigh the risks. If the operation is performed by an experienced, qualified professional, the risk of visible scarring and long-term effects is minimal.

A small 2012 study found that even in patients who experienced surgical side effects with forehead reduction surgery, very few experienced these side effects for more than a year.

Forehead reduction surgery is a cosmetic procedure, so it will not be covered by medical insurance.

Most plastic surgeons will require you to book a consultation first before giving you a fee estimate. The cost can vary depending on several factors, such as the skill of the surgeon, the extent of the operation, and more.

When looking for a cosmetic surgeon, you should always make sure they are board certified. Consider using the search tools from The American Board of Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to find an approved surgeon near you.

During the consultation, you may also want to consider the following from your cosmetic surgery team:

• years of experience in cosmetic surgery and forehead reduction operations
• before and after photos of surgery clients
• customer service and, if possible, positive reviews on social networking sites

If you are not a good candidate for forehead reduction surgery, there may be other options.

Eyebrow lift

If your forehead appears longer due to low brows, an alternative to forehead reduction surgery may be a raising eyebrows.

This procedure involves manipulating the muscles or shifting the skin of the brow area to lift the brows higher on the face. In some cases, a brow lift can make the forehead appear shorter.

Hair transplant

If your forehead appears longer due to a high hairline, another alternative may be a hair transplant or hair transplant.

This procedure involves taking hair from the back of the scalp and transplanting follicles along the front of the hairline. This procedure can also help shorten the forehead.

Forehead reduction surgery, also known as hairline reduction surgery, is a cosmetic procedure used to reduce the length of the forehead.

You may be a good candidate for this surgery if you feel that your forehead is disproportionately large for your face because of your hairline, eyebrows, or other features.

There are risks associated with forehead reduction surgery, including surgical complications, damaged nerves, scarring, and more.

If you’re looking for alternatives to forehead reduction, talk to your doctor about a brow lift or hair transplant.