Hairline Lowering Overseas

What is hairline lowering?

Hairline lowering is a form of plastic surgery to reduce the size of a large forehead by moving down the location of where the hair grows in. It is also called scalp advancement or forehead reduction, based on the perception of the problem.

The procedure is used to bring the scalp and hair lower onto the forehead. A high or excessively large forehead can change the balance and take away focus from other facial features. However, this surgery does not actually reduce the size of the forehead, it lowers the hairline.

Scalp advancement is also a form of facial feminization surgery and is more commonly administered to females rather than males. Furthermore, its benefits cannot be availed by men who have a pattern of baldness as their hairline is likely to recede further. This procedure is an alternative to hair transplants.

What is time requirement?

Procedure	Duration
Treatment	2-3 hours
No. of days in hospital	1
Average no. of days abroad	6-8 days

How Inexpensive Is Hairline Lowering Overseas?

What is the procedure?

The surgeon generally begins with sedating the patient with a local or general anesthesia. This can be provided orally or intravenously. The surgeon marks the postoperative hairline prior to the surgery for referral. Then, the surgeon makes an incision along the hairline, which is tailored according to the patient’s needs. It is made undulating, to mimic the natural hairline. After this, the scalp is excised to remove excess forehead and the hairline is advanced. Finally, the wound is closed using 2 layers of stitches or surgical clips. The scar made by the incision is undetectable as hair grows through these incisions to cover the exposed area of the forehead. This skin removal procedure can lower hairline by 5 cm.

In case where the hairline has to be lowered by more than 6 cm, an invasive procedure using a temporary expander is undertaken. This expansion assisted surgery involves incising the galea, which is the deep, fibrous and inelastic layer of the forehead. The first step in the process is insertion of a tissue expander, a balloon like device, underneath the scalp. This is done beneath the visible hairline. The expander is then inflated with injections of salt water, till the hair bearing skin stretches considerably, owing to growth of new cells. After 4-8 weeks, the scalp size increases due to growth of extra skin and finally, the expander is removed and a hidden incision lowers the hairline into the correct position.

Important Things To Know About The Treatment

• The sutures will be opened after 6-7 days of the surgery, if they do not dissolve. Till then, the wound is covered with dressings.
• It is advisable to keep the head and neck in an elevated position following the surgery. The patient may experience minor swelling or bruising. Another side effect is a ‘black eye’. Using an ice compress will ease the discomfort.
• In some cases when a scar can be seen, hair transplants and grafting can help in disguising it. Individuals with a darker skin tone should be thorough with the expected outcomes of the surgery. It is usually seen that hairline lowering leaves a lighter, white scar, which might not be inconspicuous.
• There exists a potential risk of infection, bleeding, scarring and lightness of head, following the hairline lowering surgery. Patients may experience numbness in the front of the scalp, which can last for months, till the nerves regrow.
• Though some specific cases might require it, shaving a part of one’s head is not necessary for hairline lowering.
• The patient and surgeon should establish complete familiarity with the goals of the surgery and suitability of the procedure. This should be done in accordance with the patient’s expectations and anatomical limitations.
• Prior to the treatment, patients should inform their surgeon about any medical conditions that they are facing or have experienced in the past. These include facial surgery, glaucoma, dry eyes, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, etc.

FAQs

What are some of the complications of this procedure?

Despite being a safe procedure, there are some potential risks involved in hairline lowering surgery. These include asymmetrical eyes, unnatural scarring, fluid accumulation and hair loss. Patients might also experience temporary or permanent numbness at the front of the scalp.

What makes a patient, a good candidate for this procedure?

Men and Women with high hairline, thick hair and no family history of hair loss are potential candidates for hairline lowering. The surgery does not affect the position of the eyebrows but a surgical procedure to lift drooping eyebrows, if any, can be used along with this procedure.

What preoperative care is required for this procedure?

Patients should stop consuming blood thinning or anti-inflammatory medicines 7-9 days before the treatment as they could interfere with the healing process. To abate fluid retention and swelling, the patient should restrict intake of alcohol and salty foods.

How long is the recovery period?

Patients can generally return to their routine work 3-4 days after the treatment. However, they should abstain from any strenuous physical activity, outdoor sports and swimming. Weight training or jogging should also be avoided. All visible signs of a forehead reduction surgery grow faint, in about 3 weeks.

Source: medhalt