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.

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. By moving the scalp down, a surgeon can lower the hairline on the forehead, thereby shortening the distance between the hairline and the eyebrows.¹

How Much Does Forehead Reduction Surgery Cost?

The national average cost* of forehead reduction surgery is $7,609 but can range between $5,862 and $14,362.²

Various factors impact the cost of hairline lowering surgery, including the amount of skin removed, anesthesia fees and location.²

Average cost of forehead reduction surgery by state/district

Below is the average cost* of forehead reduction surgery by all 50 states and the District of Columbia.²

 Additional cost factors

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

• The surgeon's credentials and expertise²
• Type of anesthesia (sedation vs. general anesthesia)²
• 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:¹

• Balance the proportions of your face³
• Bring your hairline forward after a brow lift procedure
• Improve a thin and/or asymmetrical hairline⁴
• Increase your hairline after a hair grafting procedure
• Lower a high hairline
• Shorten a large forehead

Note that forehead reduction surgery doesn't necessarily raise the eyebrows. 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.³

Are You a Candidate for Forehead Reduction Surgery?

You might be a good candidate for hairline lowering surgery if you have:³

• Good scalp laxity (stretchiness)
• Minimal or no hairline thinning
• Thick hair to hide the surgery scar

You might not be a good candidate for hairline lowering surgery if you have:³

• A family history of hair loss, which can make the incision more visible
• Poor scalp laxity
• Thin hair

Forehead reduction surgery is more commonly performed on women than men. Since many men will eventually experience extensive hair loss, they may not be good candidates for this procedure. Forehead reduction surgery may also be performed on transgender women 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. It reduces the vertical height of the forehead — the distance from the hairline to the eyebrows.³

During forehead reduction surgery, the surgeon will:³

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

Hairline lowering surgery typically takes an hour and a half to three hours to complete. You will be asleep and your skin numbed, so you won’t feel any pain during the procedure.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. You will also need someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery.⁵

Two-stage forehead reduction surgery

If you don't have enough skin laxity, you may need a two-stage forehead reduction procedure. In that case, the surgeon will insert a tissue expander — a balloon-like device to stretch the scalp — under your skin. As the balloon inflates over six to eight weeks, it will slowly stretch the scalp. At that point, the surgeon will remove the expander and perform the procedure detailed above.⁶

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 may require several follow-up appointments between the two surgeries for the doctor to assess the stretching of the scalp. In addition, the balloon technique may stretch and separate hair follicles, giving the appearance of thinning hair.⁶

Benefits of Forehead Reduction Surgery

Hairline lowering surgery can transform the overall look of your face. Benefits of the procedure may include:⁷

• A more symmetrical hairline⁴
• Boosting self-esteem
• Creating a denser hairline, resulting in fuller-looking hair
• Creating more balanced facial proportions
• Reducing the height of your forehead
• Tightening the skin and reducing forehead wrinkles⁴

Choosing a Surgeon for Forehead Reduction

As you consider forehead reduction surgery, it's important to find the best doctor for optimal results. Look for a surgeon who has lots of positive patient reviews for this procedure, along with a large gallery of before-and-after photos.⁸

Forehead reduction surgery is typically performed by plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons or hair restoration surgeons.³ Be sure to choose a doctor who is board-certified.

Preparing for Forehead Reduction Surgery

During the consultation for hairline lowering surgery, your doctor will:⁷

• Check your hairline and scalp laxity.
• Discuss the procedure's side effects and your desired results.
• Review your medical history.
• Provide preoperative and postoperative instructions.
• Take measurements of your forehead.³

Your preoperative instructions may include the following:⁵

• Four weeks before surgery. Stop smoking.
• 10 days before surgery. Stop taking blood-thinning medications.
• Day before surgery. Stop drinking alcohol.
• Night before surgery. Stop eating and drinking by midnight.

Be sure to follow the preoperative instructions provided by your surgeon.

Recovering From Forehead Reduction Surgery

You can likely return home a few hours after hairline lowering surgery is complete, but you should avoid strenuous activities for at least a week.¹

Your postoperative instructions may include the following:⁵

• The following day, remove the surgical pressure dressing and wash your hair with gentle shampoo.
• Apply ice packs to reduce swelling and bruising.
• Follow your doctor's recommendations on incision care.
• Sleep with your head elevated to keep swelling to a minimum.
• Stay out of the sun to help your incision heal without damage or irritation.⁹
• Take antibiotics and pain medication as prescribed.

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).⁵ You may be able to resume normal activities around 10 days after surgery unless otherwise directed.⁵ You may be able to wear a headband or hat or brush your hair forward to hide your sutures.³

Potential Side Effects of Lowering Your Hairline

Your scalp may be numb for three to 12 months, which typically fades as your nerves regrow. In addition, you may shed fine hairs for two to four weeks, but normal hair growth should resume within three months.¹⁰

Your doctor may prescribe minoxidil to promote more rapid hair growth.¹⁰ 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.¹¹

Note that small, temporary pimples may develop along the suture line as your hair regrows.¹⁰

Forehead reduction surgery has a low complication rate (less than 1%).¹² Potential complications may include visible scarring or hair loss, but these tend to be temporary and rare. If your scar remains visible along your new hairline, you may want to conceal it with hair transplant surgery.¹

Results of Forehead Reduction Surgery

The average amount of forehead reduction is 1.6 centimeters (0.6 inches).¹² Your surgeon may be able to remove upwards of 4 centimeters depending on your degree of scalp laxity.³

While the results of hairline lowering surgery are immediately noticeable, it takes about six months for the scar to fully heal. Results are permanent.¹

Forehead surgery can be a transformative procedure and understanding the costs and process can help you make the right decision for your needs. Take time to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can help you achieve the results that align with your aesthetic goals.

Financing 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.** 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 blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

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.