Dr. Vartan A. Mardirossian M.D. FACS
Forehead reduction surgery is becoming increasingly popular among men and women alike. It can have a subtle but tremendous effect on one’s appearance, and when compared to other types of facial plastic surgery, it is a relatively simple procedure that carries minimal risk and comes with a very short recovery time. If you are interested in forehead reduction surgery, here are a few cases in which it might make perfect sense.
You Have a Large Forehead or High Hairline
Most of the people who undergo forehead reduction procedures do so because they are unhappy with the size of their foreheads or the height of their natural hairlines. In many cases, this has nothing to do with male pattern baldness or a receding hairline; rather, it is a perceived imperfection that causes significant self-esteem issues. Because the procedure is relatively simple and requires only a couple of weeks of recovery time, and because it is so very subtle, it is a great way for people to feel better about themselves without making an obvious change.
You Want to Look More Feminine
Another common reason why people seek forehead reduction procedures has to do with their perceived level of femininity. Depending on the degree of recession and the size of the forehead, a high hairline is often considered a very masculine trait – something that makes women feel less-than-stellar. As a result, women who seek facial feminization surgery often want forehead reduction performed alongside various other procedures, which may include everything from cheekbone reduction, mandible contouring, and more.
You Want to Look Younger
A receding hairline is a common indicator of one’s age. On average, hairline reduction begins in the late 30's or early 40's and continues throughout adulthood. The farther the hairline recedes, the older it can make someone look. As a result, many of the people who seek forehead reduction do so in order to make themselves appear younger. In this case, the procedure may be performed alongside others, including a partial facelift, eyelid surgery, or the application of fillers or implants to create fullness.
You Want an Alternative to Hair Transplants for a Receding Hairline
Last, but most certainly not least, individuals who are losing hair at the hairline but nowhere else are excellent candidates for a forehead reduction procedure. The entire goal is to pull the hairline down toward the brows, thus erasing the appearance of hair loss and providing a more youthful look. Patients who want to improve the appearance of their hair and make it look thicker without undergoing hair transplants may find that forehead reduction surgery is a great alternative.
Forehead reduction is ideal for those who feel self-conscious about the size of their foreheads or the reduction of their hairlines. When compared to many other types of surgical procedures, it is easy to perform, comes with a short recovery time, and carries very little risk to most patients. The best way to find out if you are a candidate for forehead reduction (and other procedures designed to enhance femininity or youth) is to schedule a consultation with your plastic surgeon.
Note: Vartan is my doctor, business associate, and friend.
It's serendipitous that I find your post because this Thursday I am going to have facial surgery including eyebrow raising in combination with forehead reduction. I consider myself very fortunate to have an otherwise full head of hair but my forehead is quite large and the hair is thinner above it which prevents my having bangs to cover it, which is something I've tried with my hair stylist.
ReplyDeleteMy overall goal is to smooth off the rough edges — as I like to say — that people subconsciously use to instantly misgender me as male even though the rest of my presentation is authentically and appropriately female. Misgendering hurts and adds to my self-consciousness. It also makes me wary of traveling outside of my home base in Seattle which is a remarkably supportive and inclusive area.
I'll soon be 63 so another procedure is to have a facelift that will also tighten the skin under the chin and around the neck. He will also insert a thin device in my chin which will make it more prominent and narrow. Last, he's going to "roll up" my upper lip a little to give me a more typically feminine appearance. This will be combined with reducing the distance between the bottom of my nose and the top of the upper lip, which is more common in women.
Of course I wish I could look more femininely attractive. We'll see. Unfortunately facial surgery isn't like going to get a hair style where we can point to photos of hairstyles we like. The surgery is equal art and science and, like we used to experience with film photography, we won't know the full results for several months after. I've also been strongly warned to be careful not to get much sun exposure for the rest of this year because the scars will permanently darken. I'm going to be sporting a lot of sun hats this summer!
Hi Emma,
DeleteThanks for the comment. Where are you getting the work done? Best of luck
Hi Rhonda,
DeleteMy surgeon is Dr. Tony Mangubat who'll be performing the procedures at his clinic in Tukwila, Washington (just south of Seattle): La Belle Vie.
Thanks for your best wishes! I'm internalizing all of them!