As a facial plastic surgeon specializing exclusively in hair restoration, Dr. Epstein is one of the world’s most experienced specialists in hairline advancement and treating receding hairlines. Performing an average of 5 hairline lowering/forehead reduction surgeries and 10 to 12 hair transplant procedures weekly, he can advise his patients on the best approach.
Considering Hairline Lowering or Forehead Reduction? Watch this video where Dr. Epstein explains your options.
Result at 6 weeks of hairline lowering/forehead reduction surgery. This 21 year old patient is 6 weeks out from her procedure.
Hairline Lowering Forehead Reduction
Dr. Epstein – Pre-Surgery Hairline Advancement
Featured Patient
Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: Before and after hairline lowering/forehead shortening surgery, also called the surgical hairline advancement for the lowering of the hairline by 3 cm. Hair grafting was performed three months later to help round out the hairline for the most feminine appearance.
* All patients are unique and individual results may vary.
The Surgical Hairline Advancement / Forehead Reduction Procedure vs. Hair Transplantation
Two techniques in which Dr. Epstein specializes
The surgical hairline advancement/forehead reduction surgery lowers the overly high hairline in a single procedure, providing unsurpassed density. Almost exclusively it is performed on women, this surgery allows the overly high forehead to be shortened most commonly 20 to 30mm (¾ to 1 1/3 inches), as well as permitting some rounding out. The surgery takes two hours to perform, and our large number of out-of-town patients can return home the very next day, with sutures removed one week later. Patients are fully presentable a day or two after the surgery with resumption of regular activities, and full exercise at one week.
Testimonials
Patient Gallery
* All patients are unique and individual results may vary.
Surgical Hairline Advancement
The Surgical Hairline Advancement, also called Hairline Lowering/Forehead Reduction Surgery, shortens the overly high forehead by bringing the entire frontal hairline forward, allowing for eh removal of the excess forehead skin. If desired, a browlift can be added at the same time. The surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia, taking less than two hours. In order to keep the hairline in its new forward position, the scalp is secured to the underlying bone using Endotine® clips that dissolve after 4 to 6 months. The incision is designed to have hairs grow through the scar, with the result in most patients being a fine line incision scar with hairs growing through it. Typically a head dressing is kept on overnight, then removed the very next day, permitting patients to be presentable by merely brushing the hair forward to conceal the sutures, or wearing a headband or hat. Sutures are removed either in our office or back home by a friend or local physician. In a small number of cases, hair grafting is subsequently performed as soon as three months later if further rounding out is desired, or if there is any visibility of the incision scar. The density achieved with this surgery typically exceeds that which can be achieved with two hair transplant procedures.
One Week After Hairline Lowering Surgery
Hairline Advancement as a Reparative Procedure
For most patients, hair grafting is the procedure of choice. It avoids the need for making an incision along the hairline and is a much less involved surgical procedure. Another advantage of hair grafting is that it permits rounding out of the hairline, especially filling in and lowering the sides. The main advantage of the surgical advancement procedure, however, is that there is an immediate result with unsurpassed density in just a single procedure. In addition, as soon as two months after a surgical advancement procedure, hair grafting can be performed to round out the hairline and conceal any fine line scars that can result.
Dr. Epstein – Pre-Surgery Hairline Advancement
Dr. Epstein – Post Surgery Hairline Advancement
Animated video demonstrating hairline lowering surgery
Featured Patients
Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: 24 year old patient born with high hairline. Underwent the surgical hairline advancement surgery, where her forehead was reduced in size by 1 1/4 inches for a nice improvement. Note the natural appearing hairline with hair growing through it.
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Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: Before and after hairline lowering/forehead reduction surgery- this 18 years old desired a lower hairline and shorter forehead prior to going off to college. This was achieved with hairline lowering surgery. Note that in this case no hair grafting as performed.
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Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: Before and After Hairline Advancement /Forehead Shortening Surgery facilitated by tissue expansion, followed by 1500 grafts to round out the hairline
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Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: This African American patient in his late 20s desired a lower hairline, so he underwent a surgical hairline advancement (SHA) that brought forth his hairline a full 1 ½ inch, or more than 35mm. This procedure in men requires s stable hairline and loose flexible scalp and provides a more dense hairline than what can be achieved with hair grafting.
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* All patients are unique and individual results may vary.
Learn more about receding hairline treatment options for men!
Second Technique for Advancing the Overly High Hairline: Hair Grafting
Some patients choose, or are better candidates, for hair grafting rather than the hairline lowering surgery. This includes those with low scalp mobility, a goal of primarily rounding out rather than actually lowering the hairline, or with thinning of or are at risk of future thinning of the hairline. These procedures typically involve the transplanting of 1600 to as many as 2800 hair grafts, each containing 1, 2, or three hairs, placed one at a time after being obtained from the back and sides of the head using what is called the FUE or the FUT approach. This is a all-day long procedure, with a five to seven day recovery period. The transplanted hairs typically fall out within 2 to 3 weeks, then start to regrow at 3 to 4 months.
To provide a natural appearance, the hairs are transplanted primarily one and two at a time, with the finest hairs up front, the natural way the hairline hairs grow. There are few risks with the procedure.
Patient Gallery
* All patients are unique and individual results may vary.
Animated video demonstrating hairline lowering surgery
Testimonials
Featured Patients
Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: Here the scalp is being firmly pushed forward as far forward as it can go, showing good scalp laxity which will permit the hairline to be brought forward by 2.5 up to 3cm (from 10 to 7cm above the nose), making her a very good candidate for the surgery.
Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: Before and After one week.
Procedure: Hairline Advancement
Procedure details: 24 year old patient born with high hairline. Underwent the surgical hairline advancement surgery, where her forehead was reduced in size by 1 1/4 inches for a nice improvement. Note the natural appearing hairline with hair growing through it.
* All patients are unique and individual results may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Probably the most important aspect of a hair transplant is creating a natural hairline. This is done by two manners. First is the design of the hairline itself and its particular shape. Is it natural looking and is it appropriate for the patient’s original hair distribution and for the shape of his scalp and face? Second, is the hair itself planted in a very natural way so it does not look artificial? In our office, the hairline is designed under great care to make sure that it will look natural and it takes into consideration the patient’s facial shape, the existing hairs that are still in place and what the original hairline may have looked like. The hair is then placed in such a way so that there is a certain amount of irregular irregularity with certain hairs coming out more forward and certain triangular aspects created to give a variability and not a straight line to the hairline itself and also to always consider the aspect of randomness when placing the grafts.
