Forehead Reduction Surgery: Costs, Benefits, Results and More

Do you feel self-conscious about the size of your forehead? Do you wear bangs to hide your forehead, or even avoid swimming because you don't want anyone to see your hair slicked back? If you've long felt insecure about your forehead or hairline, forehead reduction surgery may help.¹

What Is Forehead Reduction (Hairline Lowering) Surgery?

Forehead reduction surgery (aka hairline lowering surgery) is a cosmetic procedure that reduces the size of the forehead by lowering the hairline.² By moving the scalp down, a surgeon can position the hairline lower on the forehead, thereby shortening the distance between the hairline and the eyebrows.³

How Much Does Forehead Reduction Surgery Cost?

The cost of forehead reduction surgery ranges from $5,000 to over $14,500, with an average cost of $8,976.³ This cost typically includes fees for the surgical consultation, the operating room and anesthesia.⁴

Various factors impact the cost of hairline lowering surgery, including location.⁵ You can expect to pay more for hairline lowering surgery in a major city that has a higher cost of living.⁵

Some surgeons offer free consultations, and many require that you book a consultation before they will provide an estimate of how much your surgery will cost.⁶

Cost of forehead reduction surgery by location

Additional cost factors

Additional factors that affect the cost of forehead reduction surgery include:⁵

• The surgeon's credentials and expertise
• Type of anesthesia (sedation vs. general anesthesia)
• Type of technique (one-stage vs. two-stage procedure)
• Adding complementary cosmetic procedures (e.g., brow lift, hair transplant surgery, facelift)

Why Get Forehead Reduction Surgery?

You might consider hairline lowering surgery if you want to:

• Shorten a large forehead⁶
• Lower a high hairline⁶
• Change the proportions of your face due to low or heavy eyebrows⁶
• Remove naturally thin hair and pull your thicker hair lower down on your scalp¹
• Increase your hairline after a hair grafting procedure⁶
• Bring your hairline forward after a brow lift procedure⁶

Note that forehead reduction surgery doesn't necessarily raise the eyebrows.⁶ To achieve this result, your surgeon may be able to perform a separate surgery — a brow lift — at the same time as forehead reduction surgery.⁶

And keep in mind that while hairline lowering surgery can reduce the height of the forehead, it can't narrow a wide forehead.³ If you have a wide forehead, hair transplant surgery may be a better option.³

Are You a Candidate for Forehead Reduction Surgery?

You might be a good candidate for hairline lowering surgery if you have:

• Good scalp laxity (stretchiness)³
• Minimal or no hairline thinning³
• Thick, coarse hair to hide the surgery scar⁴

You might not be a good candidate for hairline lowering surgery if you have:

• Poor scalp laxity²
• A family history of hair loss, which can make the incision more visible⁶
• Thin hair²

Forehead reduction surgery is more commonly performed on women than men.³ Since many men will eventually experience extensive hair loss, they may not be good candidates for this procedure.³ Forehead reduction surgery may also be performed on female gender-affirmation patients who want a more feminine-looking hairline.³

How Forehead Reduction Surgery Works

Basically, hairline lowering surgery involves removing a small strip of skin just below the hairline and pulling the rest of the forehead skin upward to meet the hair.⁶ It reduces the vertical height of the forehead — the distance from the hairline to the eyebrows.¹

During forehead reduction surgery, the surgeon will:

1. Mark the new hairline and the area of the forehead to be removed.⁶
2. Put you under general anesthesia or sedation.³
3. Numb the entire forehead with a local anesthetic.⁶
4. Make incisions along the marked area of the forehead and hairline.⁶
5. Separate the skin from the connective tissue underneath⁶ and remove the excess forehead skin.³
6. Pull the top incision along the hairline to join the forehead incision, closing the gap and shortening the forehead.⁶
7. Close the incisions with stitches or surgical clips.³
8. Apply a surgical pressure dressing to prevent swelling.³

Hairline lowering surgery typically takes one to three hours to complete.³ During this outpatient procedure, you may feel the prick of the numbing medicine and a pulling sensation, but you should not feel pain.¹

Since you cannot drive or take a cab after having anesthesia, be sure to ask a trusted friend or family member to accompany you to and from your procedure.¹⁵

Two-stage forehead reduction surgery: Balloon technique

If you don't have enough skin laxity, you may need a two-stage forehead reduction procedure.³ In that case, the surgeon will insert a tissue expander — a balloon-like device to stretch the scalp — under your skin.³ As the balloon inflates over two to three months, it will slowly stretch the scalp.⁴ At that point, the surgeon will remove the expander and perform the procedure detailed above.³

While this two-stage procedure allows people with minimal skin laxity to get forehead reduction surgery, keep in mind that it's more time-consuming, and it may require several follow-up appointments between the two surgeries for the doctor to assess the stretching of the scalp.⁴ In addition, the balloon technique may stretch and separate hair follicles, giving the appearance of thinning hair.⁴

Benefits of Forehead Reduction Surgery

Hairline lowering surgery can transform the overall look of your face.⁶ Benefits of the procedure may include:

• Reducing the height of your forehead¹⁶
• Creating a denser hairline, resulting in fuller-looking hair³
• Cutting out widow's peaks and cowlicks to improve your hairline³
• Tightening the skin and reducing forehead wrinkles¹⁶
• Providing a slight lift to the eyebrows and upper eyelids¹⁶
• Creating more balanced facial proportions³
• Offering immediate and permanent results³
• Boosting self-esteem³

Choosing a Surgeon for Forehead Reduction

As you consider forehead reduction surgery, it's important to find the best doctor for optimal results.⁶ Look for a surgeon who has lots of positive patient reviews for this procedure, along with a large gallery of before-and-after photos.⁶

Forehead reduction surgery is typically performed by plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons or hair restoration surgeons. Be sure to choose a doctor who is board-certified.⁶ You can visit The American Board of Plastic Surgery, the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery or the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery online to find a board-certified surgeon near you.

Preparing for Forehead Reduction Surgery

During the consultation for hairline lowering surgery, your doctor will:

• Review your medical history.¹¹
• Check your scalp laxity by moving it up and down and side to side.¹¹
• Take measurements of your forehead.¹⁶
• Discuss the procedure's risks and your desired results.¹¹
• Provide preoperative and postoperative instructions.¹⁶

Your preoperative instructions may include the following:²

• Four weeks before surgery: Stop smoking.
• Two weeks before surgery: Stop taking blood-thinning medications.
• Two days before surgery: Stop drinking alcohol.
• Six hours before surgery: Stop eating and drinking.

Recovering From Forehead Reduction Surgery

You can likely return home a few hours after hairline lowering surgery is complete,⁶ but you should avoid strenuous activities for about a week.³

Your postoperative instructions may include the following:

• After 24 to 48 hours, remove the surgical pressure dressing and wash your hair with a gentle shampoo.¹¹
• Apply ice packs to reduce swelling and bruising.¹⁶
• Sleep with your head elevated to keep swelling to a minimum.¹⁶
• Stay out of the sun to help your incision heal without damage or irritation.¹⁶
• Take antibiotics and pain medication as prescribed.²
• Follow your doctor's recommendations on incision care.⁶

After about a week, you will need to return to the doctor's office to get your sutures removed (unless the surgeon used dissolvable stitches).³ At that point, you may be able to resume light activities and return to work.¹ If you need to go back to work or school sooner, you may be able to wear a headband or hat or brush your hair forward to hide your sutures.³

Risks and side effects of lowering your hairline

Your scalp may be numb for four to six months, which typically fades as your nerves regrow.³

In addition, you may shed fine hairs for two to four weeks, but normal hair growth should resume within three months.² Your doctor may prescribe minoxidil to promote more rapid hair growth.¹⁷ If you're concerned about the medicine's toxicity to cats, your doctor may recommend other options, such as pumpkin seed oil or prescription finasteride.¹⁸

Note that small, temporary pimples may develop along the suture line as your hair regrows.¹⁷ While you can apply a warm compress to your scalp for 10 to 15 minutes to make it easier for any ingrown hairs to release, ingrown hairs usually heal themselves in one to two weeks.¹⁹

Forehead reduction surgery has a low complication rate (less than 1%).²⁰ Complications may include visible or raised scarring, bleeding or hair loss, but these tend to be temporary and rare.¹ If your scar remains visible along your new hairline, you may want to conceal it with hair transplant surgery.³

Results of Forehead Reduction Surgery

The average amount of forehead reduction is 1.6 centimeters (0.6 inch),²⁰ but your surgeon may be able to remove anywhere from 1 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) of skin,³ depending on your degree of scalp laxity.¹

While the results of hairline lowering surgery are immediately noticeable,² it takes about six months to heal from surgery and about a year for the scar to settle and the hairline to look natural.⁴ Results are permanent,³ but they may vary depending on your individual anatomy and healing process.¹

Financing a Forehead Reduction Surgery With the CareCredit Credit Card

Ready to revitalize your appearance and boost your confidence? The CareCredit credit card makes it easy to pay for forehead reduction surgery and related expenses not covered by health insurance.* Apply today and use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit so you can stop dreaming and start living your best life. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go, and easily access the Well U hub for more great articles, podcasts, and videos.

Author Bio

Robyn Tellefsen is a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, finance, and more. Her work has appeared on sites such as LoopNet, Beachside Rehab, First Horizon Bank, SoFi, A Place for Mom, American Express, Chase and more.