Forehead Reduction Candidates By Sahar Nadimi on September 05, 2017

A large forehead can make the face look unbalanced, drawing attention away from other features, like the eyes or smile. For those who are unhappy with the size of the forehead, forehead reduction surgery may help. Forehead reduction surgery is an effective procedure used to reduce the size of a big forehead, improving facial balance and enhancing the overall aesthetics of the face. During patient consultations, Dr. Sahar Nadimi works closely with patients to identify ideal forehead reduction candidates. To find out if you're a candidate, contact our Chicago, IL practice today.

What Is Forehead Reduction Surgery?

Forehead reduction surgery, also called hairline-lowering surgery, is a procedure used to reduce the size of the forehead by lowering the hairline. Forehead reduction is an effective treatment to reposition the hairline and improve the proportions of the forehead.

The Forehead Reduction Procedure

Forehead reduction surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, enabling patients to recover in the comfort of their own home following surgery. During forehead reduction, a new hairline is marked out and the tissue between the current hairline and desired hairline is surgically removed. The scalp is then brought forward to the new hairline and held in place using dissolvable bone anchors or bone tunnels placed into the skull. Next, the incision along the hairline is closed using sutures. Hair grafting may also be performed at the time of forehead reduction to alter the shape of the hairline and create a more natural looking appearance.

Candidates for Forehead Reduction Surgery

Although most commonly performed on women, both men and women may make good candidates for forehead surgery. Ideal candidates for forehead surgery should be in good general health, non-smokers, and free of such health conditions as heart disease and uncontrolled diabetes as these can interfere with healing and increase the risk of complications. Candidates also include those who:

Are unhappy with the appearance of a large forehead: A large forehead can throw off the proportions of the face, making the face look unbalanced. Those who are unhappy with the appearance of a large forehead may benefit from forehead reduction surgery.
Have no family history of hair loss or baldness: Those who wish to undergo forehead reduction surgery should not have a family history of hair loss or baldness, as future hair loss can impact the results of forehead reduction surgery and leave the scar from forehead reduction surgery visible.
Have a high hairline: Candidates for forehead reduction include those who have a high hairline, whether from genetics, a result of brow lift surgery, or from wearing tight hairstyles.
Have thick hair: Although not entirely necessary, those who have thick hair along with a large forehead often make excellent candidates for forehead reduction surgery. This is because any scarring left from the surgery is more easily hidden with thicker hair.
Have good scalp laxity: Scalp laxity refers to how much the scalp stretches when manipulated. For the best forehead reduction results, those with greater scalp laxity often make ideal candidates.