23, UK London - London, GB

Hi guys!! I had my hairline lowering surgery on the 19/04/2016. I wanted to wait before placing my review as I wanted to give it all in full. This is my own experience/feelings and journey that I am sharing this may differ or have similarities to others in my position. I am 23 and lucky enough to inherit a high forehead roughly 8cm. I have always wanted a smaller more proportionate one for my face and was determined not to let my forehead hold me back in life any longer. A hair transplant wasn't the route I wanted to take so I was glad to come across the instant result hairline lowering procedure about 2 years ago. I've read many others reviews via real self (a website I came across on a whim but so glad that I did) but none that had been performed in the UK until a recent review in January 2016. It was what I had been waiting for and was enough for me to get a loan and book my consultation with Christopher Inglefield (same surgeon as the other UK review) he's based in London about an hour away from where I live. I read through his website on the procedure/ watched his YouTube video performing the surgery (not for the squeamish) and had seen him on several series of TV documentary shows so I knew he was a well known and trustworthy surgeon. I booked my consultation on the 18th of Feb for the 1st of March so I didn't have too long to wait, I had to pay a consultation fee when booking and it got deducted off of my surgery price that was given to me at the end of the consultation with Chris. Just a note the total price is made up by two figures one being the cost of surgery/anesthesia and the other is an estimated hospital cost (£400 was added to the hospital price 3 weeks before surgery :/, also had some other hospital fees added on the day of surgery) (the total cost I listed for the procedure is in £'s and is also a rounded figure). All visits/check ups, three lymphatic massages and a bottle of vitamin CE ferulic serum is included in the surgery/anesthesia price (I applied the serum along the hairline two weeks before surgery in the mornings after cleansing and toning and continued applying behind the new hairline after surgery). Chris was lovely and so was his nurse, he listened to why I wanted the procedure and then went through the procedure/complications and drew on my soon to be hairline and took photos. The nurse had been working there for only three weeks at the time of my consultation and had seen four people inquiring about the hairline lowering procedure; I wasn't aware it was such a popular surgery! I had a lymphatic drainage massage performed three days and one day before surgery which I paid for myself as it was more convenient to where I lived and plan to use two of the ones included in my surgery price on my first check up and when I have my stitches removed. Chris additionally advised purchasing Regaine for women that's used for hair thinning/loss which I applied every night two weeks prior (I bought the four month supply) and continued applying ten days after surgery as informed by my nurse until empty. I had my hair dyed and cut a week before surgery as I'm aware I'll be covering the scar for a little while, visiting the hairdressers was a fear of mine because of my forehead and hadn't been since a teenager! So even though on a budget the other little purchases for healing/travelling/extra fees have added up but I wasn't going to cut corners.
Surgery date
So I got to the hospital for 7am and was taken down to surgery about 8am, I met with the hospital nurses/anesthetist also the nurse who works with Chris and Chris himself so we could draw on the new hairline and change it where need be, I'm a slight perfectionist and had him change it slightly a few times, at the end of the day it's a forehead I'll be living with forever now. I woke up in recovery and was in some pain and discomfort and had two doses of morphine. I was expecting to wake up spaced out after seeing all the funny general anesthetic videos but nothing I was to my knowledge pretty normal! I got taken back to my room about 10:30am, wearing a cooling mask kinder of like a super hero mask and was there until 6 resting/sleeping, they leave the heart rate and blood pressure machines linked up pretty much until you leave. I had some food there and after getting back from the toilet my body felt like I had a sickness bug and I was sick a couple of times I was told it was normal from the anesthetic and was given an anti sickness tablet. The pressure of the bandages felt like a plaster that had been put on extremely tight, they were removed when I felt OK to go home and the pressure instantly felt better. I had my mum pick me up from outside and left with a cap resting over my head as my hair was an absolute mess. I was pretty drowsy and had a headache for the rest of the evening. I was given antibiotics, steroids, pain killers and home remedies to help with infection/pain/swelling and bruising (I set myself a little schedule throughout the day/night to take them) I started those the evening I got home and continued them for about 5 days. I ice packed my head all night and regularly after the next few days. There was some discomfort the day after surgery and my head felt rather tight and swollen, also as everyone describes my scalp is numb and like wearing a plaster cast or bicycle helmet.
Day 1&2 post operative
I was able to wash my hair by myself the day after surgery with baby shampoo and was given an instruction to wash my hair every day for ten days. There was rather a lot of glue in my hair, I managed to get most of it out by using a leave in conditioner spray snd small toothed comb. I was pretty much back to my normal self, appetite isn't at its normal and I've been having loose stools (maybe from the steroids prescribed). I've been sleeping on the couch so haven't had the best of sleeps but I've been chilling most of the day with some intervals of doing some house chores. I've been noticing some tingling sensations throughout my forehead and scalp. My forehead looks like I've had Botox, I haven't got much movement in my eyebrows at all, although I'm not complaining I'll be quite pleased if it stays that way and my frown lines are gone!! I also managed to have a 30 minute walk with the dog on day 2.
Day 3 post operative
Still the same as post op days 1&2 although I've had some more tenderness on the left side of my hairline where the implant gripper I think was placed. No sign of infection this far and no need to take the high strength pain killers (tramadol). I've been giving myself some little head massages to improve blood circulation to my hair follicles, I haven't noticed any hair loss and it doesn't feel a great difference in density after the scalp being stretched.
Day 4 post operative
I've had no pain/tenderness at all!! Good news!! I got fed up mid morning and actually slept in my bed and got my first lie in!! I still have some dried blood along my new hairline but haven't wanted to wash it too rigorously!! My belly and appetite haven't been great, I've not wanted anything too rich (again I think that's the steroids), no pain no gain!!
Day 5&6 post operative
I finished the last of my paracetamol yesterday I was down to taking just 1 every 6 hours and can honestly say there's been no pain!! I also finished my last steroid at 4am on day 6 so no more midnight snacking!! On a down note I have been feeling rather lethargic/depressive with stomach pains the past few days I'm unsure if this a side effect of the medication prescribed/premenstrual or lack of routine or a combination of all three but I thought I'd mention it just in case anyone else goes through this, hopefully it shall pass shortly!!
Day 7 post operative
I had my first lymphatic drainage massage with lbps. I was informed that it's very important that after surgery if you're to have one of these massages done the fluid etc is being passed/performed the correct way so to look for someone with a MLD qualification. If performed incorrectly it can cause the scar to stretch and swelling not to drain properly (I was unaware of this). These massages are a part of all surgeries performed at lbps. It was a nice experience, relaxing but not your typical beauty treatment as its more for your health and well being, it didn't feel like it had achieved anything but I'm sure my body responded and appreciated it!! Its so comforting to know how well you're being looked after at lbps!! Driving, being on the train/tubes, wearing a hat for 5-6 hours and being in a busy environment has exhausted me a little today, my concentration/awareness wasn't at its best!! Also finished my antibiotics and remedies today.
Day 10 post operative
My mood has been back to normal for a couple of days now although I'm still experiencing stomach pain and having loose stools :z!! I had my stitches removed today and I can honestly say it wasn't painful in the slightest! The nurse said that it was clean and had been healing well!! I haven't experienced any puckering/hair loss as of yet. I gave my hairline a little exfoliate at home after the stitches were removed to get rid of the dried blood/scabs so I could see how the wound/hairline will eventually look (not that I recommend doing that I'm just very impatient and compulsive).
Day 11 post operative
Loose stools and belly aches have gone and appetite is back to normal. I've started taking vitamins again to help with healing, reduce the redness in my scar, hopefully promote healthy hair and help with oxidative stress. I found the dosage and vitamins on another review for forehead reduction and did some research about them but my anesthetist wasn't happy with the high doses I was taking pre operative so I gave my body a break and now meeting in the middle with smaller doses. I also found the vitamins being recommended on one of the usual USA forehead reduction surgeons at the dosage I'm taking now although I'm not taking the alpha lipoic but I was pre op.

Just a quick update being 5 weeks post op. I wanted to share what I experienced over the passing week/weekend in case anyone else notices this going through recovery and will know it's nothing to worry about. My first issue was that I had noticed a small lump in my scalp in line of my ear on both sides of my head about a week ago. I thought nothing of it at first but it soon went from only two lumps to having five come the weekend which is when I started to get worried, I also kept touching them which caused them to feel very sore. My second issue was a red mark on the left side of my scar that I noticed Friday evening that on Sunday evening I decided it might be a spot and I tried to pop it a very silly idea as it started to bleed and I now have a tiny scab on my scar :\!! Monday I decided to be safe rather than sorry and call the nurse, I was reassured that what I had explained was the grippers which have three spikes to each gripper which I was unaware of and also I was unaware they'd be placed so far back in the scalp and the reason I'm now able to feel them is because of the swelling reducing, also the red mark sounded to the nurse like an ingrowing hair, it was a big relief to know it was nothing to be concerned about.