Hairline lowering/forehead reduction, September 2018, UK.

Hey!
So it’s been just over 3 months. Things are going great, I did have one issue however with an internal suture which began to poke through my skin. I had to go back to the surgery to get this trimmed by the nurse, and I have a small red bump on my hairline where this is now healing. It is taking its time to heal but I’m just trying to be patient!
I still also have some numbness on my scalp (although about 50% of the sensation has returned.) I am still very very happy with the result, I now have the hairline I have always wanted and will do for the rest of my life- so even though the healing process takes a while, for me it’s 100% worth it.

Hello! So it's been 6 weeks since my op and time has flown by! I am back to normal life now and keeping busy so I don't even think about my op much, which is how it should be. :) My scar isn't too red anymore - only in certain places. Otherwise it's more of a very faint purple colour.

I am LOVING my new hairline! It looks quite wide at the moment, but that may be partly because of the swelling and slight hair loss I've had at the sides, so I'm hoping it will look different in a few months time. But even if it doesn't, I will still be very happy with the result as it is a big improvement to what it was before. I highly recommend Dr Inglefield and this procedure!

Today marks 4 weeks since my op so posting to up date you all. So far so good, I love my new hairline! I have wanted this for so many years and I cannot put into words how great it feels to not have that anxiety and self-consciousness anymore.
I have had some hair loss (I’ve attached photos). It’s only around the incision and mainly at the temples, so it is easily covered when my hair’s down. It’s nothing drastic, but it’s still a little depressing, just hope it grows back.
Below I have described the side effects I’ve had and how I’ve approached recovery, for those considering or going ahead with this op. I know when I was researching it I wanted as much info as possible so hope it helps!
Side effects I’ve experienced:
Swelling- I’ve had swelling around both temples, it has reduced a lot on one side, but the side where my drain was inserted is still quite swollen. Apparently it can take 6 weeks or more to go down so I’m trying to be patient!
Bruising- had yellowish bruising on my forehead in front of the incision, but this disappeared after about 7-10 days
Some hair loss- as mentioned above.
Dandruff- this has settled now, but around week 2/3 I had a very flaky scalp!
Numb scalp- a common side effect is having a numb scalp, I can’t feel anything on the top third of my head. The feeling should come back eventually, but it doesn’t really bother me.
Scabbing- had lots of scabbing around the incision which lasted until about week 3, it took a lot of will power to not pick them off!
Tingling, minor ‘zapping’ pains and itchiness around the incision- this does not happen often, maybe once or twice a day and I hardly notice it, but thought I’d mention it anyway.
Red scarring- my scar is more noticeable at times, and I definitely can’t wear my hair tied back as you can see the zig-zag incision. However I’ve been wearing my hair down with an off-centre parting and I don’t think anyone’s noticed.
Those are the main side effects I’ve had that I can think of. None of them have been a big issue for me as I know they are all just part of the healing process, I just wanted to give you the overall picture. I would still get this surgery done again in a heartbeat as the difference that it has made to my self esteem is incredible!
Below is what I have done to help my recovery. This is only what has worked for me based on my experience, so you can decide whether or not to take it on board.
‘Hairfluence’ hair growth vitamins (with biotin) by Zhou Nutrition - I found these after they were recommended by another RealSelf user who had this surgery. I started taking them about a month before my op and I’m still taking them now, my hair seems a lot healthier and thicker since.
I am also taking vitamin C and zinc tablets as this was recommended on a US surgeons website, although my anaesthetist said these aren’t necessary!
Time off- I would recommend taking at least 2 weeks off work after your op if possible. I’m glad I had just over 2 weeks off, my body needed that time to rest and recover!
Diet- I usually eat healthy anyway, but before and after my op I’ve made an extra effort to eat a very healthy diet with lots of vitamin A, C and E. Also upped my protein intake and making sure to drink plenty of water.
And last but not least, always follow doctors orders!
Any questions just ask :)