Facial Feminization Surgery

Hairline lowering

The differences between men's and women's hairlines are subtle but have a big impact. Understanding the differences between men's and women's hairlines is crucial to creating a natural and feminine look.

The center of a woman's hairline is often higher than a man's and has a different shape. Men's hairline is usually an M-shape and women's hairline is an inverted U. In addition, there are differences in thickness. As you get older, male pattern baldness can be a physical sign of unwanted male features on the face.

There are several factors that affect the appearance of hairlines:

• Hormones: Male hormones have a great effect on hair. They are responsible for the growth of body hair such as pubic, beard, chest and armpit hair. Examples include dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
• Age: It is estimated that about 50% of women and 65% of men in all age groups worldwide experience hair loss. Nearly two-thirds of men experience hair loss before the age of 35. 85% of men experience thinning hair and hair loss by age 40.
• Hair care: Hair care includes a varied vitamin-rich diet in addition to shampoos, conditioners, styling products and lotions. Healthy hair shines, is easy to comb and has no skin problems.
• Medication: Medications known to cause hair loss include antidepressants, as well as blood thinners, blood pressure reducers, birth control medication and thyroid medication.

Procedure

There are two ways to achieve hairline lowering. 

Hair transplantation

• Only the receding inlets need to be filled. No hairline lowering is required.
• You can choose between the FUE method with shaving or the DHI method with shaving.

Hairline lowering 

• The flexibility of the scalp determines how far the hairline can be brought forward. We strive to bring the hairline as far forward as possible, but it is important to keep in mind that the wound must be able to be closed without tension. Typically, this will result in a reduction of 0.5 to 1 cm. With a very flexible scalp, reductions of 2 to 3 cm are possible.
• To remove excess skin after forehead recontouring, a strip of skin on which hair grows must be removed. Making the incision behind the hairline would cause the hairline to recede even more. Therefore, we usually recommend having the hairline lowered when you have a forehead recontouring procedure performed. The lowering effect is sometimes very minimal, but at least the hairline will not recede.

Benefits

Forehead reduction surgery, hairline lowering, aims to rebalance the upper parts of the face to optimize a woman's appearance and/or a man's forehead balance. The result can boost your self-confidence and increase your self-esteem.

Recovery

• It is good to know that some hair loss may occur in the first month after surgery. This mainly involves thin hairs. These hairs usually grow back within three months. After about six weeks, the first hairs begin to grow through the scar. This makes the scar less visible.
  
• Some patients experience numbness in the front of the skull. There is no need to be afraid of it. It may take up to a year, but feeling will return. 
• It takes about 12-18 months to evaluate the final result.
• As with any surgery, infection can occur. With a hairline reduction, it can be especially difficult to keep the surgical area clean and sterile during follow-up care. Small hairs can grow in or under the skin that can cause irritation or infection. Usually these small hairs can be removed with sterile tweezers.