Hairline Correction

A person with a large forehead or a disproportionate high hairline often feels a negative distraction from other proportional features. It can also limit self-consciousness and the number of hairstyles to wear to complement the large forehead. Such facial problems can be due to various underlying causes, including hair loss or genetic factors.

Fortunately, hairline correction, also referred to as hairline lowering, addresses a large forehead and high hairline. It involves shortening the outsized forehead by moving the hairline forward to balance the proportions of the general facial structures. This eventually gives you an authentic facial appearance.

Benefits of Hairline Correction Procedure

Hairline correction surgery focuses on altering the upper facial features balance to improve the overall forehead balance and appearance. Furthermore, it also comes with additional advantages to individuals who opt for this procedure. Some of these advantages include;

Immediate results
After a fast operation and a short recovery period, the hairline correction procedure produces immediate results. On the contrary, this may take up to 2 years to achieve with a hair transplant. The treatment may also be performed alongside brow lift. This is to soften much of the forehead wrinkles.
Overall appearance
The surgery helps reduce the overall appearance of an enlarged forehead. It also restores balance and gives you a good facial appearance.
Hidden scars
Although hairline correction surgery can leave a scar, it is usually concealed behind the hairline. In most situations, the hair develops again in front of and around the scar. This leaves it undetectable unless the hair is wet.
An outpatient operation
Unlike most cosmetic operations, the recovery period for the hairline is relatively short. This is because the surgery is conducted on an outpatient basis. In other cases, patients may be required to stay overnight in the hospital to recover well. Other surgeons will recommend taking at least a week off to complete all stages of recovery. But in some cases, patients will resume their daily routine within two days of the operation.
Flexibility to different scalps

In case you are not an appropriate candidate for hairline correction, there is an additional step that will make the operation suitable for you. If surgery cannot be conducted in a single stage, physicians recommend extending the aided hairline. This includes placing an expander underneath the scalp and progressively inflating for eight weeks before the ultimate operation. The final process can shift the hairline downwards by 2 inches.

Ideal Candidates for Hairline Correction

Although men can also undergo hairline correction, women are usually the best common candidates. Overall, ideal candidates for hairline correction or hairline lowering surgery include individuals who have;

A relatively high hairline and wishes to lower it
A large forehead and wishes to reduce or shorten it
Thick hair, which is disproportionate to the hairline height
Undergone hair grafting procedure and intends to increase the hairline
Heavy or low eyebrows and wishes to change or improve facial proportions
Undergone brow lift and want to move the hairline forward.

Types of Hairline Correction Procedures

The main types of hairline correction procedures include;

Surgical hairline advancement

This involves a surgical procedure performed on the forehead where a section of the skin near the hairline is removed. After the process, the remaining areas are stitched together, resulting in a low hairline.

Grafting hair

This is an alternative surgical procedure for addressing a large forehead. It involves grafting hair in the front part of the hairline. Sometimes, this technique is used as an independent method to help reduce the forehead. This is by increasing layers of hair over the natural hairline. Overall, this method is non-surgical. Besides, the different types of hairline correction techniques differ based on the patient’s needs.

Realistic Expectations from Hairline Correction Procedure

Cosmetic surgical treatments are mainly designed to improve the body of patients in order to make them appear more desirable. As a result, expectations may sometimes be unreal for a person opting for cosmetic surgery, such as a hairline correction or lowering.

The after-surgery look is the most reasonable expectation you may have from this technique. Generally, the elimination of the skin can reduce the hairline by 5 cm, whereas the hairline can be reduced by up to 6 cm with the aid of an expander. Sometimes, follow-up images can be inaccurate and misleading, considering the one-dimensional outlook of the procedure that it offers.

Though surgery is helpful for anyone with a wide forehead, you should avoid going through it if you are susceptible to scarring. The procedure involves the creation of a long scar on the hairline. Therefore if you have a propensity to scarring or skin can’t easily heal, you need to rethink the operation.

Lastly, it’s logical to assume that the procedure will have a few after-effects. It can include bleeding, swelling, and minor discomfort around the surgical site, which will improve at various stages of recovery.

Preparing For the Procedure

Before undergoing surgery, the surgeon will give you some essential tips to help you while preparing for the scheduled day. They include;

Stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs at least one week before the procedure. This is because they can interfere with the recovery process.
Avoid intake of alcohol or salty food as it contributes to fluid accumulation and swelling.
Consult the surgeon on what to consume to improve the body's immune system and plan for a surgical procedure.
It would help if you also spoke to your doctor regarding the effective prevention of infections and blood clots.

What Hairline Correction Procedure Involves

Doctors or surgeons often perform hairline correction surgical procedure under general anesthesia to make the patient fully unconscious during the process. Alternatively, they can also use local anesthesia around the forehead region to ease pain and reduce bleeding.

Depending on the patient’s overall objectives, the entire procedure involves several steps, which include the following;

Marking the forehead region and the hairline to adjust or remove using a surgery skin marker. Surgeons often perform this with great care. This ensures that the cut made next to the hairline safeguard both the nerves and hair follicles.
Using local anesthesia to numb the whole forehead, starting from the hairline on top of the brows.
Creating an incision along the marked sections of the hairline and forehead. This incision is also referred to as pretrichial incision. After that, the surgeon cautiously separates the skin on the connective tissue below and cut out the marked area.
Pulling down the top part of the incision on the hairline such that it links the forehead incision. This seals the gap and also shortens or reduces the forehead size.
Once the procedure is complete, the surgeon sutures the skin together. This helps reduce scar formation. Usually, the stitch will be hidden by the hairline as soon as the hair grows.

You should note that the hairline correction procedure reduces the forehead height and can change the eyebrows appearance. However, it does not always raise eyebrows. In such a case, a separate operation known as brow lift can be done alongside hairline lowering surgery.

What to Expect After the Procedure

Hairline correction surgery is a relatively short type of procedure. As such, most patients can go back home after a few hours following the surgery. However, the surgeon will ask you to return to the medical facility after a few days for suture removal. They will also schedule a checkup after two to four weeks of surgery. The purpose of this is for observation of the condition and progress and post-operative analysis.

Like any other surgical procedure involving creating an incision, it’s essential to take good care of the wound. You should also clean it often to prevent infections and facilitate quick healing.

Also, watch out for any infections signs around the incision area. Ensure that you follow the doctor’s instructions on how to take care of the surgical incision properly. It could also include how to ease pain, swelling, and infection risks.

Possible Risks and Complications of Hairline Correction

Every surgical procedure is associated with varying risks, complications, and side effects. Some of the risks that might arise following hairline correction surgery include;

Negative reaction to anesthesia and associated side effects
Severe bleeding during or after the procedure
Infection on the surgical site
Paresthesia on the incision area
Nerve damage around the incision site
Scarring after the incision wound heals
Hair loss in the area where the hairline was cut during the procedure

Conclusion

Forehead correction surgery is also known as hairline reduction or lowering surgery. It’s a cosmetic technique that surgeons use to reduce the forehead length. You could be the right candidate for this procedure if you think your forehead is overly large for the face. It could be because of the eyebrows, hairline, and other features.

For a successful hairline correction procedure, you can always consider CloudHospital. Here, you will get a chance to receive treatment from the best renowned medical experts with years of experience in performing similar procedures.