Hairline Advancement / Forehead Shortening

Hairline lowering is a procedure that advances the hairline down the forehead, making the forehead appear shorter. This surgery is most often sought most by individuals who are bothered by their “big” forehead and want it to be less distracting.

Why undergo forehead shortening?

There’s a variety of reasons why men and women choose forehead shortening. In men, a high forehead can look like a receding hairline, which creates a problem for them. In women, a large forehead can often make them appear older or more masculine than they want. Either way, those with a prominent forehead dislike what they feel is a distraction from their other features. This may make them self-conscious and wear hats or different hairstyles to attempt to hide this issue.

How forehead shortening works

Forehead shortening involves creating an incision at the front of the hairline and moving it approximately two inches forward to create the appearance of a shorter forehead. (The exact amount of length that the new hairline can advance down to will depend on how loose the patient’s scalp is.) The surgery can reduce the size of the forehead by ¾ of an inch or more. Visibility of the incisions will be concealed as well as possible, placed in an easily camouflaged pattern just behind the new hairline, where the hair will hide them.

Alabama Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Forehead shortening procedure details

Dr. Raggio performs forehead shortening with the patient under either local or general anesthesia. The procedure takes approximately 2 to 3 hours. Dr. Raggio will mark the forehead where the new hairline will be, and will then begin the surgery. The skin between the current hairline and the desired hairline will be excised, and the hairline will be carefully and precisely moved forward to create the new hairline. It will then be secured to its new position with bone anchors. The incisions will then be closed and you will be wrapped with a compression garment to assist with healing.

Recovery

The recovery period for forehead shortening is approximately 2 to 3 weeks. Patients may experience numbness at the new hairline, some bruising around the eyes, and/or swelling in the treated area. While the hairline numbness may last for a couple months, the swelling will subside within two weeks. Patients should not wash their hair for 48 hours following the procedure, and should not resume exercise or strenuous activities for two weeks (or until Dr. Raggio clears you to).

Results

At 3 to 6 months, your results will be finalized and you can enjoy wearing new hairstyles and feeling confident about your new hairline. Any residual scarring will continue to improve in appearance over time. Patients considering this procedure should be aware that occasionally a condition called “shock alopecia” can develop in which the entire scalp thins. This condition may last a few months, but is temporary.

Candidates for forehead shortening

Are bothered by their large forehead
Have a scalp that is loose enough for the procedure
Have naturally thick hair
Have no personal or genetic history of hair loss
Are in overall good health
Have realistic expectations for the procedure

Why choose the Alabama Center for Hair Restoration?

Dr. Blake Raggio has specialty training in hair procedures, and loves restoring the confidence of his hair treatment patients. At the Alabama Center for Hair Restoration at ALPRS, you will find an environment that is modern, professional, and upscale — but also warm and inviting, with a team that truly and genuinely cares about your results. When you choose to work with us, you will receive personalized care and customized and cutting-edge treatment plans. We are pleased to provide extraordinary service from every touchpoint to achieve results that are natural-looking and durable.