As A Bald Male Can I Get A Facelift?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am writing to you as an expert in male facelifts that are bald. I am interested in knowing if I am a good candidate for the surgery. (pictures attached)

A: Thank you for sending your pictures. I am not certain what qualifiers one as a ‘bald male facelift expert’ but I have certainly done a few such patients. The basic maneuvers of a facelift remain the same but with the caveats of some alterations of incisional placement around the ears. It is important that the anterior ear incision not go above the helical root and descends to the earlobe in a retrotragal fashion and that the posterior ear incision and backcut not go beyond the shadow of the outer helical rim. The submental incision for the central neck work remains the same as in any other patient. The key to any male facelift, and the bald/shaved head patient in particular, is to have little to no evidence around the ears that the surgery was done. Limiting the incisions around the ear does compromise how ‘aggressive’ the facelift result can be but I think most men will settle for visible improvement of their neck/jawline with no minimal scarring vs a perfectly tight jawline and 90 degree neck angle with visible scarring.

While longer scars that trail away from the ears do allow for more skin removal/tightening and better results, there is no forgiveness/improvement when such scars are done. This is an example of a patient that came to me with such facelift scars. No scar revision will ever make them go away. This is what one wants to avoid.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianaoplis, indiana