How Soon After A frontal Hairline Advancement Can I Get It Reversed?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I got my hairline advanced in Turkey roughly 2.-2.5cm. I currently am very unhappy with my results. I never really intended on having a hairline advancement nor was this on my radar. I just wanted my brow bone shaved and the surgeon recommended I do this as well.

I’m very interested in your clinic because I read about the use of ballon/tissue expanders I want my forehead raised atleast 1.0cm-1.5cm if the full inch isn’t possible to restore my facial balance and my masculine identity.

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. When the frontal hairline is lowered this is done by forehead skin removal. With loss of non-hair bearing forehead skin the only way to partially reverse it is to expand the existing forehead tissues to create more skin to be moved upward. I would doubt that a full inch is possible and a more realistic outcome is in the one centimeter plus range.

The concept of s the forehead tissue expander is that it is initially placed, expanded for six weeks at home by you and then allowed to rest for another six weeks before doing the reverse frontal hairline advancement. Trying to shorten that expansion process risks as100% relapse within the first 7 to 10 days after the procedure is completed. While effective I think the hardest part of it is you have to walk around for three months with an obvious and unusual looking forehead.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon