Hairline Lowering Surgery: Everything You Need To Know

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Hairline Lowering Surgery: Everything You Need To Know
Dr Barry Abdelrahimsai (GMC)
Medically reviewed by
Dr Barry Abdelrahimsai (GMC) — Updated on December 2, 2024

Many people feel self-conscious about their high hairline. This comes as no surprise, considering our forehead’s important role in our overall appearance. In classical aesthetics, a well-balanced and attractive face is split into equal thirds, with the forehead making up one-third [1]. 

A well-balanced face split into three equal thirds

Most people don’t have perfectly proportioned faces, so you’re in good company if you have an oversized jaw or smaller-than-average forehead. But if you feel highly self-conscious about your facial proportions, lowering your hairline surgically can help address an uneven hairline or large forehead. If you are curious about hairline lowering surgery, there are several solutions to consider. In this article, we’ll explore: 

  • What hairline lowering surgery is 
  • Who can benefit from it
  • What the hairline transplant procedure entails
  • What’s involved in the forehead reduction procedure
  • The cost of hairline lowering surgery
  • Which type of surgery may be right for you
  • How to choose the right surgeon and clinic
Table of Contents

What is hairline lowering surgery? 

Hairline lowering surgery aims to move your hairline further down your forehead, resulting in more proportionate features. People with a badly receding hairline or large forehead due to genetics or ageing may seek this type of surgery. 

There are two main types of hairline lowering surgery: forehead reduction and a hair transplant to lower your hairline. Forehead reduction surgery involves removing some of the skin from your head, while a hairline transplant relocates hair follicles to alter the hairline’s position. We will discuss these two procedures in more detail later on. 

Who can benefit from hairline lowering surgery?

People with a high hairline due to genetics, ageing, or previous surgical procedures may benefit from surgery to lower it. People of African descent often have genetic features that respond well to forehead reduction surgery, making it especially popular in this patient group [2].

Research suggests that, the ideal patient for hairline lowering surgery is a woman with a long forehead and a high hairline with no history of progressive hair loss [3].

Woman self-conscious about her forehead size

Other good candidates for hairline lowering surgery may include:

  • People with a naturally high hairline — Some people are born with a naturally high hairline [1], which can cause self-consciousness.
  • Inactive female or male pattern baldness— People with androgenetic alopecia make good candidates for a hairline transplant. However, forehead reduction surgery is not generally recommended for patients with active androgenetic alopecia [4].
  • People with a receding hairline — Hairline recession is common as we age, more so in men than women [5]. However, women can also experience hairline recession [5], and both groups may wish to restore a more youthful appearance.  
  • Transgender women — Transgender women may desire a lower hairline and seek this procedure as gender-affirming surgery [6] because hairlines are typically lower in women than men. Transgender hair restoration and male-to-female hair transplants are also sought by people with male pattern baldness who were assigned male at birth but wish to look more feminine.
  • People with traction alopecia — Traction alopecia is hair loss (typically around the temples) caused by prolonged pulling on the hair follicles. This tension can be caused by hairstyles and accessories such as tight braids, ponytails, weaves, or hair extensions [7].
  • People with forehead asymmetry — Even those with a small forehead may have asymmetrical hairlines or irregularities in their forehead shape, which can make them feel self-conscious. These can be corrected through hairline lowering surgery to fix a messed up hairline. 

Many celebrities have reportedly undergone hairline lowering surgery. Influencer Beth Halsey has had a forehead reduction, as has TikToker Camilla Colbro. Love Island star Rosie Williams also had a hair transplant to lower her hairline.

Beth Halsey’s hairline lowering surgery, before and after

The hairline transplant procedure

Hairline transplant for a receding hairline

A hairline lowering transplant is one of two surgical methods to make your forehead appear smaller. Here, we’ll go through each step of this procedure. 

  1. Consultation and planning — The process starts with an initial consultation with a qualified hair transplant surgeon. During this appointment, the surgeon will assess you for any signs of hair thinning or balding, examine you for common scalp problems, and check your overall suitability for the procedure [8]. They will also discuss your goals and expectations and create a personalised treatment plan.
  2. Hairline design — Before transplantation, your surgeon will work with you to plan your new hairline in accordance with your facial features, gender, age, and preferences [9]. They will consider factors such as hairline shape, density, and natural hair growth patterns to create a natural-looking hairline that complements your face. 
  3. Anaesthesia — You will receive some type of anaesthesia before your hairline correction surgery begins. Hair transplantation can be performed with any level of anaesthesia but is usually performed from start to finish using local anaesthetic with sedation [10]. This means you will be awake but relaxed and unable to feel pain.
Before and after hairline transplant at Wimpole Clinic
Before and 10 months after a hairline transplant at the Wimpole Clinic
  1. Donor hair harvesting — Next, donor hair follicles are harvested from an area of healthy hair growth (usually the back or sides of the scalp [11]) using the FUE or FUT technique. In FUE, individual follicular units are extracted from the donor area using a small punch tool, leaving tiny puncture wounds that heal quickly and with minimal scarring. In FUT, a strip of scalp skin containing hair follicles is surgically removed from the donor area and then separated into individual grafts for transplantation.
  2. Graft placement — Once the donor hair follicles have been harvested and prepared, the surgeon begins the graft placement process. Using expert techniques, they implant the grafts into tiny recipient sites along the new hairline area. The angle, direction, and density of the transplanted hairs are carefully planned to achieve a natural-looking hair transplant [12]. 
  3. Post-operative care — You will be provided with detailed hair transplant aftercare instructions to encourage efficient healing and the best result possible. These may include guidelines for scalp care, medication use, and activity restrictions. You will return to the clinic for scheduled follow-up appointments to monitor your hair transplant recovery and address any concerns.
Preoperative planning for forehead reduction surgery
Preoperative planning for forehead reduction surgery [3]

The forehead reduction procedure

Forehead reduction is the second type of surgery offered to reduce the size of your forehead by lowering your hairline. Here are the steps involved in this procedure: 

  1. Initial consultation — As with a hairline lowering transplant, you start with an initial consultation. You should meet with a surgeon specialising in forehead reduction procedures to discuss your reasons for seeking surgery, your expectations and your desired result. To develop a treatment plan, the surgeon will evaluate your forehead shape, hairline position, and overall facial proportions.
  2. Preoperative planning —  Your surgeon will carefully plan the extent of forehead reduction and placement of incisions based on your facial features and desired outcome. Imaging such as computerised tomography (CT) scans and 3D simulations may help with surgical planning.
  3. Anaesthesia — Forehead reduction is usually performed using a special type of local anaesthesia called twilight anaesthesia, which means you’re asleep but able to breathe without intubation [13]. General anaesthesia may be used in some cases [14] as forehead reduction is an invasive procedure. 
Results immediately after forehead reduction surgery
Results immediately after forehead reduction surgery [3]
  1. During surgery — Your surgeon makes incisions along the planned new hairline. The excess forehead skin and tissue underneath are carefully removed, avoiding damage to the nerves and blood vessels. Hair transplant procedures and/or brow lifts are sometimes performed alongside forehead reduction surgery to achieve the best outcome [4]. After surgery, the incisions are closed with stitches or staples and a dressing is applied to protect the surgical site. 
  2. Postoperative care — After surgery, you’ll receive detailed instructions to ensure your wound heals as well as possible. Your surgeon may discuss wound care, pain management, and activity restrictions during the initial recovery period. You’ll have follow-up appointments scheduled at specific points in your recovery timeline. 

How much does hairline lowering surgery cost?

The cost of hairline lowering surgery depends on the type of procedure you choose. A hair transplant costs £4,820 on average in the UK, while forehead reduction surgery costs between £5,000 and £8,000 (plus the cost of a brow lift and/or supplementary hair transplant). So a hair transplant tends to be the cheaper option.

Find out more about the cost of a receding hairline transplant.

Which procedure is right for me?

Each procedure has unique benefits and downsides. Ultimately, your choice of procedure will depend on the cause of your high hairline, your desired outcome, and your surgeon’s recommendations. Here, we’ll compare hairline transplants versus forehead reduction surgery so you can start to think about which procedure is right for you.

 Hairline Transplant  Forehead Reduction
Natural resultsYesYes
Instant resultsNoYes
ScarringMinimalVisible
Custom designYesYes
Suitable for pattern baldness patientsActive and inactiveInactive only
Suitable for patients with larger foreheadsYesYes
DowntimeUp to 1 weekUp to 1 month
PermanentYesYes
Risks Infection, lack of hair regrowth, further hair lossInfection, permanent hair loss, nerve damage, obvious scarring
Cost£4,820 (average UK hair transplant cost)£5,000 to £8,000 (excluding brow lift and/or hair transplant)
Initial consultation with a hair transplant surgeon

Choosing the right surgeon and clinic

Take great care when selecting a surgeon and clinic for your hairline lowering surgery. Any reputable clinic should encourage a thorough initial consultation process and give you time to think about the surgery after that first discussion. 

For high quality care and expertise, consider one of the best hair transplant surgeons in the UK. Surgeons at the Wimpole Clinic are at the top of their field and licensed by the General Medical Council. 

They use the latest FUE and FUT hair restoration techniques to create effective, natural-looking hair transplants. Results are so seamless that it’s possible to get a hair transplant without anyone knowing.

If your high hairline is caused by hair loss, you will receive a thorough assessment from one of our hair doctors. This may include diagnostic trichology tests, blood tests for hair loss, a hair pull test, and other investigations as needed. Book a consultation today to learn more about hairline -lowering surgery and meet our world-class surgical team.

Hairline Lowering Surgery: Everything You Need To Know, Wimpole Clinic

Sources:
  1. Correction of the High Female Hairline
  2. Ethnic Considerations in Hair Restoration Surgery
  3. Forehead Reduction and Hairline Lowering Surgery: Aesthetic Implications
  4. Facial Feminization Surgery: Simultaneous Hair Transplant during Forehead Reconstruction
  5. Hairline Restoration: Difference in Men and Woman—Length and Shape 
  6. Feminization of the Forehead in a Transgender: Frontal Sinus Reshaping Combined with Brow Lift and Hairline Lowering
  7. Traction alopecia: the root of the problem 
  8. Hair Transplantation and Follicular Unit Extraction
  9. Phenotype of Normal Hairline Maturation
  10. Hair Transplant and Local Anesthetics
  11. Hair Transplantation
  12. Effect of Graft Size, Angle, and Intergraft Distance on Dense Packing in Hair Transplant
  13. Surgical Hairline Advancement: Patient Candidacy and Best Techniques
  14. Aesthetic forehead reduction in female patients: Surgical details and analysis of outcome
Dr Barry Abdelrahimsai (GMC)
Medically reviewed by Dr Barry Abdelrahimsai (GMC) — Updated on December 2, 2024
The Wimpole Clinic offers FUE Hair, Beard & Eyebrow Transplants & Trichology.
Talk to a specialist ☎ 020 7935 1861.

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Dr Barry Abdelrahimsai (GMC)
Medically reviewed by
Dr Barry Abdelrahimsai (GMC) — Updated on December 2, 2024
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