Would you recommend hairline lowering with Expander or Transplants? (photos)

Question

I'm a 26 year old male with a high forehead & protruding upper forehead bossing. I'm going for a hairline lowering surgery, combined with burring of the excess bone. Ideally, my hairline would be lowered by 2.5-3cm. I have 1cm of scalp laxity, so a standard hairline lowering procedure would only achieve 0.5-1.5cm of advancement. In order to make up the rest of the advancement with good density, would you recommend a scalp expander (6 weeks) or instead, hair transplants? Thanks in advance

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

Hello,It is hard to find doctors for forehead lowering since they need to be experts in 2 areas.  First of all, doctors need to be experts in facial plastic surgery or plastic surgery to lift up the scalp area and advanced along the forehead.  The galea is released during this.  A key component is hiding the scar along the border of the scalp.
The second component is being an expert in hair transplantation.  The hairline is lowered and the scar is camouflaged through hair transplants. 
Look for a surgeon specializing both plastic surgery of the face and who does hair transplants.
Best, Anil Shah

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

You should first make an appointment with a doctor for an exam to make sure a forehead reduction is possible in your particular case.  However, you seem to know about scalp laxity and sound like there was some exam and understanding.You have to also understand that there are doctors who don't use expanders and achieve greater advancement with different techniques.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

From the pictures you submitted based on my 35 years of experience doing hairline lowering I do not think you will need tissue expansion.

John Peter Cole, MD · Answer

If you were a female with no family history of hair loss, you might choose either one.  Sin you are a male, you need to consider hairline advancement surgery more carefully.  Your hairline is really not that high.  you simply have more of a slope on your forehead.  I would be very cautious about being too aggressive.  You are only 24.  Do you have a family history of hair loss?  If so, I definitely would not consider an advancement with or without an expander.  Even if you don't have a family history, i would be more cautious since you are a male.  Males are far more likely to experience androgenic alopecia.  The last thing you want is a more advanced degree of hair loss, a very low hairline, and a permanent scar on your hairline that might limit your ability to raise the hairline by relocating grafts later on in life.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

Men should never get a hairline advancement surgery because of the risk of genetic balding that can appear and show the scar, and there is no need to a balloon expander in your situation as a hair transplant is more than adequate to address your hairline issue and less intrusive, less disruptive on your life style and less costly

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

I will first clarify my bias; many years ago we described the technique of hairline lowering by advancing the scalp which provides hair of normal uniform density giving the patient total freedom of hair styling without having to camouflage the problem of less density and different texture after transplantation.  I would recommend an expander with hair line lowering.

Sheldon S. Kabaker, MD FACS (retired) · Answer

Based on your photos  which show  deep forehead furrows that to me indicate a one stage operation  could lower your hairline a good 2 cm in a one stage operation. I would have to see some videos or see you in person to really make this determination. Certainly,  tissue expansion would allow for an almost unlimited amount of lowering the hairline. I am not sure that bone shaving of the mid forehead would make much difference. Bringing the scalp down would give the illusion of a straighter forehead on profile. Whether or not you have the potential for male pattern baldness certainly has to be taken into consideration.You might even consider a custom implant to fill out the forehead area abive the bulge. Also injectible fillers might be attempted. If the bony reduction is to reduce frontal bossing as part of FFS surgery I would certainly change this opinion.

Would you recommend hairline lowering with Expander or Transplants? (photos)

Answers (7)

More Forehead Reduction Questions

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (7)

More Forehead Reduction Questions

I just had hairline lowering surgery. My hair is falling out, leaving bald patches. Some hair is also very "wirey?" Shock loss?

My forehead protrudes out. What surgery can I get to fix this?

I'm 16, female & I want to reduce my forehead size. It's currently about 4 inches. Is there any way I can make it smaller?

What are the cons of a hairline lowering? (Not the graft procedure)

Is there any way to fix an 8cm long forehead?

Am I a good candidate for hairline lowering/forehead reduction surgery? (Photo)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS