A receding hairline or overly large forehead can significantly impact your self-esteem and overall appearance. Fortunately, a cosmetic procedure called forehead reduction is a practical solution for this issue. Read on to learn how this surgery works, its benefits and effectiveness, and the techniques Dr. Jeffrey Schmidt uses to provide his patients with natural-looking results.
What Is Forehead Reduction?
Forehead reduction – also known as hairline lowering or scalp advancement – shortens the forehead by bringing the hairline forward and down to a more natural position. This surgery will create a more balanced appearance among all your facial features. For more comprehensive results, you may want to combine your hairline reduction procedure with an eyelid lift for a more youthful, approachable look.
Scalp advancement surgery requires removing a small portion of forehead skin and adjusting the hairline’s position to achieve the desired result. A board-certified facial plastic surgeon like Dr. Jeffrey Schmidt minimizes the risk of scarring by making incisions near the original hairline. When your hair regrows after the procedure, it will hide the healed incisions.
Can a Forehead Reduction Procedure Improve the Appearance of a Receding Hairline?
You can look younger and more attractive by surgically lowering your hairline. The procedure is particularly beneficial for those who have a high or disproportionately large forehead, as it creates a more aesthetically pleasing facial proportion. After this surgery, your forehead will accentuate your hair and other features instead of overshadowing them.
If you’re experiencing hair loss, you may also choose to combine your forehead reduction with an advanced hair grafting procedure like the cutting-edge NeoGraft technique. This minimally invasive procedure involves transferring hair from a donor area to places where you are balding or thinning. Once the grafts take root and start growing in their new location, you will enjoy a fuller, healthier head of hair that you can style any way you like.
What Are the Surgical Techniques Used in Forehead Reduction for Treating a Receding Hairline?
After consulting with you and learning more about your goals, your plastic surgeon will create a customized surgical plan depending on factors such as your hairline position, hair density, skin quality, and lifestyle preferences.
Your receding hairline surgery will take place while you are resting under general anesthesia. To begin, your surgeon will mark the expected post-procedure hairline. Next, they surgically excise the extra skin between the current and future hairlines and positions the scalp in its new location, securing it with sutures.
Is Forehead Reduction an Effective Solution for Men and Women?
Thousands of people nationwide have overly large foreheads or receding hairlines that begin higher than two inches above their eyebrows. If you are tired of hiding behind bangs and ball caps, this surgery can give you a much-needed confidence boost, regardless of your gender identity. Consulting with a facial plastic surgeon like Dr. Schmidt is crucial to determine the best approach for you.
What Is the Recovery Process Like After a Forehead Reduction for Correcting a Receding Hairline?
Surgical forehead shortening is an outpatient procedure. You can expect minor discomfort, bruising, and moderate swelling around your forehead, scalp, eye, and brow areas. Most of this swelling will lessen after the first few days and will fully resolve within a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, you can apply ice packs to the affected areas and sleep with your head elevated.
When performed by a surgeon of Dr. Schmidt’s caliber, surgical forehead shortening is safe. As with any surgery, it carries potential risks like numbness, slight asymmetries, and visible scarring. However, Dr. Schmidt uses his skill and careful attention to detail to minimize these complications.
Dr. Schmidt will send you home with detailed post-operative instructions to follow, including when to return for follow-up appointments. While every patient heals at a different rate, most people feel well enough to return to work and other typical activities after about a week. However, please avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, or bending over until Dr. Schmidt clears you to do so.
How Long Does It Take to See the Results of a Forehead Reduction for a Receding Hairline?
The results of surgical forehead shortening are immediately noticeable and will continue improving as the swelling and bruising resolve. After healing, you can enjoy a long-lasting enhancement to your appearance.
When Should You Consult With a Facial Plastic Surgeon to Determine if a Forehead Reduction Is Right for Correcting a Receding Hairline?
If your receding hairline or prominent forehead are significant sources of worry, stress, and low confidence and you struggle daily to conceal the problem, meeting with Dr. Schmidt is your first step in finding a transformative solution. As a double board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Schmidt has dedicated his entire career to facial procedures. In consultation with him, you can learn more about forehead reduction surgery and how it can improve your appearance and quality of life.
Dr. Schmidt and his team believe in providing unparalleled results with a patient-first philosophy. That’s why we go above and beyond to meet high standards of safety and comfort. We even offer concierge services at no additional cost to you to make your entire experience more convenient. To partner with Denver’s leading facial plastic surgeon for your hairline-lowering journey, fill out our online form or call 1-720-443-2235 to schedule your consultation today.
