HAIRLINE LOWERING SURGERY
(FOREHEAD REDUCTION SURGERY)
Preparing for a Hairline Lowering or Forehead Reduction Surgery:
Preoperative Information
Click Here For Forehead Reduction Surgery Preoperative Instructions
Anesthesia for Forehead Reduction or Hairline Lowering
Dr. Aharonov performs all of his hairline lowering surgeries in an AAAHC accredited outpatient surgery center in Beverly Hills. Board certified anesthesiologists, which are medical doctors, perform all of his forehead reduction surgery cases. Dr. Aharonov prefers to have a physician caring for your anesthetic needs during your hairline lowering surgery, as their experience minimizes risks. Dr. Aharonov uses an extremely safe combination of IV sedation and local anesthetic, not general anesthesia. This technique provides superior operating conditions combined with maximal patient safety and comfort. You will be completely asleep with no chance at all of waking up during your hairline lowering surgery. In all likelihood, you will awaken with very little discomfort, nausea, or anesthetic side effects. On the day of your Hairline Lowering surgery, you will meet your anesthesiologist and can discuss any questions that you may have.
What to Expect After Forehead Reduction or Hairline Lowering
After a forehead reduction procedure there might be some swelling in the forehead, head, or even the eye or cheek area. Many patients are healed enough to go back to work after a couple of days. Your forehead and head will be wrapped overnight, and the dressing will be removed the following morning. You will be able to shower and shampoo your hair the next day after your surgery. After 6 days, Dr. Aharonov will remove your sutures.
Patients who have the hairline lowering or forehead reduction surgery will experience numbness in the front of the scalp behind the incision. This numbness can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to months, as the nerves slowly grow back.
Activity Level and Exercise After a Forehead Reduction or Hairline Lowering
You should avoid strenuous activities for one week after surgery to decrease any swelling or bruising. Most patients return to work in about a week after surgery, but some patients return to work even sooner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forehead Reduction Surgery and Hairline Lowering Surgery
1. Why is your way different?
We like to treat our patients the way we would want to be treated. I would personally not want to walk around with a tissue expander in my head unless I absolutely needed it. I would not want to get hair grafting to lower my hairline more than 1 cm because it NEVER looks as natural in real life and up close as does a hairline lowering surgery. I would want my surgery to be done in a fully accredited surgery center NOT in a regular office. I would want IV sedation to be performed by a board certified anesthesiologist NOT a nurse. These are the ways some places cut corners and cost. I would want the best for myself and would only do the same for my patients.
2. Is it possible to get a more rounded hairline with the forehead reduction surgery?
The amount of roundness possible with the hairline lowering surgery depends on factors such as scalp laxity and amount of reduction desired. Dr. Aharonov will discuss your individual situation with you during your consultation. If the amount of roundness desired is not possible with jus the hairline lowering surgery in your case, it is possible to make the hairline more rounded by using a few hair grafts if needed. Hair grafting is usually not needed for most patients if they have a dense hairline and adequate scalp laxity. Hair grafting is more accurate and predictable when done separately and therefore Dr. Aharonov prefers to not combine the two procedures unless absolutely needed.
3. How bad will I look right after surgery? Will I be able to hide it fairly well?
There is actually a pretty quick recovery time after the hairline lowering surgery. There could be a small amount of bruising and some swelling which resolves quickly. Most patients can hide the fact that they had surgery within several days after their hairline lowering procedure. During your consultation you will see many patients during all stages of healing to give you a good idea of what you will look like after your forehead reduction surgery.
4. How much does Forehead Reduction Surgery cost?
We understand that many of our patients live far away form our office and would like to know ahead of time what the cost of hairline lowering surgery might be. There are a few variable that will contribute to the eventual cost including difficulty of your particular case, whether or not hair grafting will be needed, and whether or not a tissue expander might be needed. We can usually give you a pretty accurate estimate after seeing your photos and for sure after having a phone consultation. If you just need a ball park figure please contact our office either by phone or via email and we will be more than happy to give you a range. The reason there is a range in cost for different patients is because each case is unique and might take significantly different times to perform. For example, a simple case might take about 45 minutes, while a difficult case might take close to 3 hours. The anesthesia, nurses, and operating room fees are based on an hourly rate. Hence a longer case will be more expensive. Scalp laxity, distance needed to be lowered, and the shape of the head all play a role in how difficult a case might be.
5. How long after Forehead Reduction Surgery can I fly back home?
Most patients who fly in from out of state usually stay for a week. All the sutures are taken out either 5 or 6 days after surgery. You are free to fly back home after that. Occasionally if a patient cannot stay that long, special arrangements can be made to have a physician or nurse closer to their home take remove the sutures. If so, you would be able to fly home 1-2 days after surgery.
6. I had a consultation with another surgeon who said I would need a tissue expander even though I only need one inch of reduction. Why is your technique different?
When comparing results from different surgeons, please make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Many other surgeons can only lower a hairline by only about 1 cm, or about a third of an inch, in a one stage procedure. Their before and after photos might be only after a tissue expander was used. Dr. Aharonov's Forehead Reduction One Stage Technique (FROST) is very different than other surgeons' techniques. If you only need about an inch of lowering you probably do NOT need a tissue expander and your hairline lowering surgery can be performed in one stage with Dr Aharonov's technique, even if fairly tight scalps.
7. What type of anesthesia do you use for Forehead Reduction Surgery?
For the Forehead Reduction surgery IV sedation is used NOT general anesthesia. This is done by a board certified anesthesiologist in a fully accredited surgery center. IV sedation is much safer and more comfortable than general anesthesia. You are not paralyzed or intubated. You are fully asleep and comfortable.
8. Does Forehead Reduction Surgery raise the eyebrows at all?
Forehead Reduction surgery does NOT raise the eyebrows at all. Some patients request to have brow elevation or a brow lift at the same time which can be done as well. But as is, the Forehead Reduction surgery does NOT raise the eyebrows with Dr. Aharonov's technique. Other surgeon's techniques might lead to some brow elevation, but NOT Dr. Aharonov's technique.
9. Is there a chance that my scalp will stretch backwards and my hairline go back at all after surgery?
With Dr. Aharonov's technique for forehead reduction, there is NO chance that the scalp will retract and recede again. The scalp position is fixed in place to the skull at the new position and will not move back at all.
10. Does the Forehead Reduction surgery raise the hairline at the back of my neck?
While we have not actually measured whether or not this happens, there might be a small elevation of the hairline at the back of the neck when the scalp is advanced forward. This elevation is most likely far less than half the amount of the actual scalp advancement. If the hairline is advanced by 4 cm the hairline at the back of the neck might raise by less than 1-2 cm. This has not been an issue for any previous patients.
11. My scalp feels very tight and does not move much. Does that mean I am not a good candidate for a one stage procedure and will need a tissue expander?
I have dealt with scalps that were extremely tight. While there is never a guarantee as to how much a hairline can be lowered, even it very tight scalps it is usually possible to lower the hairline by 2-3 cm. Each patient is unique and results will vary.
12. The center part of my forehead is fine, but I have significant recessions in my temples. Is hairline lowering surgery right for me?
If there is enough scalp laxity, it is possible to lower temporal recessions significantly with a modified hairline lowering surgery that Dr. Aharonov has pioneered. Even if the front of your hairline does not need significant lowering, this modified hairline lowering surgery might be right for you.
13. Can I see more before and after photos of your work?
Due to patient confidentiality concerns the photos on the website represent only a small fraction of the before and after photos available for viewing in the office during a face to face consultation. During your consultation you will see many photos of all stages of healing in many different patients. This will give you a better idea of what to expect after your surgery and during the healing time. I am always very thankful when a patient gives me permission to show their before and after photos as it helps others see what to expect from forehead reduction surgery.