Receding hairlines are becoming increasingly common for women, thanks to either excessive use of hair dyes and other harsh products or use of lace front wigs and other types of hair extensions. While hair transplants can solve the problem in about 2 years, a much quicker solution is hairline lowering surgery.
The procedure involves an incision along the hairline (from ear to ear), removal of a part of the forehead and pulling down the scalp. If you feel like you could benefit from it, discover the hairline lowering surgery pros and cons, including side-effects and price.
Pros of Hairline Lowering Surgery
While the procedure is available for both men and women, it can be more effective in women, since the hairline doesn’t continue to recede at the same rate as for men.
If you’re interested in getting hairline lowering surgery for a high forehead or for a receded hairline, here are the advantages of the procedure.
Instant Results
After a quick procedure and a short recovery time, hairline lowering surgery basically offers instant results that could take up to 2 years to reach with hair transplants. The procedure can also be done in conjunction with a brow lift, which smooths most forehead wrinkles.
Hidden Scar
While hair transplant doesn’t leave behind any scars, hairline lowering surgery does, but the scar tissue is disguised behind the hairline. In most cases, hair regrows both in front of the scar and through it, making it undetectable unless hair is wet.
Outpatient Procedure
Some cosmetic surgeries need a longer recovery time, but hairline lowering is done on an outpatient basis and recovery is fast. In some cases, patients need to stay overnight to recuperate faster. Most plastic surgeons will advise taking a week off to recuperate, but in some cases, patients returns to their normal routine in even 2 days after the procedure.
Adaptability to Different Scalps
Not everyone is instantly suitable for hairline lowering surgery, but there’s an extra step that can make the procedure available to more patients. If the surgery can’t be done in a single step, doctors can recommend expansion assisted hairline advancement. This involves the insertion of an expander under the scalp and inflating it gradually for up to 8 weeks before the final surgery. The final procedure can move the hairline down for up to 2 inches.
Cost
If you’re getting the one-stage procedure, the hairline lowering surgery cost is approximately $7,000, but there are basically no aftercare costs. When the procedure is done in two stages, the cost can double.
Cons of Hairline Lowering Surgery
Like all surgeries, there are risks of complications and infection after the procedure, but most patients recover without any trouble. Unfortunately, one of the biggest cons of hairline lowering surgery is that it’s not a good fit for people with thin hair density. Other problems that may develop include:
Bruising and Swelling
Since the scalp is moved forward, swelling and bruising are common after the hairline lowering surgery. In some cases, bruising can extend down to the eyes, especially when the procedure is done at the same time as a brow lift. Both problems usually go away in a few days.
Numbness
Most patients experience temporary numbness in the forehead and scalp after the cosmetic surgery. This is caused by minor nerve damage which cannot be prevented. Itching and tingling are also common, but they usually disappear completely in a few months. For a small number of patients, numbness can become permanent.
Hair Loss
One of the cosmetic risks of hairline lowering surgery is temporary hair loss or permanent hair loss around the scar, which can usually be fixed with hair transplants. In most cases, hair loss experienced right after the procedure doesn’t have long term effects and the hair begins to grow again after up to 4 months.
Scarring
Right after the surgery, the scar will look red and sometimes lumpy for up to 9 months after the procedure, when it should become much less noticeable.
Decreased Mobility
One of the biggest cons of hairline lowering surgery is decreased mobility in the forehead area. The risk is higher when it’s done simultaneously with other procedures in the area, like a brow link. Mobility problems are usually temporary, but for some patients they’re permanent.
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