Can a hairline be "fixed" if it is irregular from birth?
Posted 06-01-2011 at 11:15 AM by Sara Wasserbauer, MD
Most hairlines are irregular. One side is a little bit higher or lower than the other. Most faces are irregular, too, and in the spectrum of human existence it is the variation that adds individuality to each person's appearance. Viva La Difference!
That being said, certain hairlines are more irregular than others and for some people the irregularity of their natural hairline can be pronounced and distracting. If this is the case, hair transplantation can be used to "improve" on nature!
For this type of surgery, it is worth it for the patient to look at photos of naturally occurring male and female hairlines (Naturally Occurring Female Hairline Patterns by NUSBAUM and FUENTEFRIA in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and any of the Unger textbooks on hair are good ones), and to take into account the possibility of future hair loss due to aging. Often a decision is made to place some hair within and among areas that already have hair - to hedge against future loss. However, this can only be done in cases where adding grafts to the area will not impact the growth of the native hair for obvious reasons. This is less of a concern with female patients, but it still needs to be taken into consideration.
Other issues to consider include choosing a hair surgeon with reconstructive experience, especially with hairlines since they require single-hair follicular units only in order to look natural. One should also be prepared for swelling on the forehead or front of the face post-operatively. Typically, however, these results can turn out beautifully and would encourage anyone considering this type of corrective surgery to look into it. Good luck!
That being said, certain hairlines are more irregular than others and for some people the irregularity of their natural hairline can be pronounced and distracting. If this is the case, hair transplantation can be used to "improve" on nature!
For this type of surgery, it is worth it for the patient to look at photos of naturally occurring male and female hairlines (Naturally Occurring Female Hairline Patterns by NUSBAUM and FUENTEFRIA in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and any of the Unger textbooks on hair are good ones), and to take into account the possibility of future hair loss due to aging. Often a decision is made to place some hair within and among areas that already have hair - to hedge against future loss. However, this can only be done in cases where adding grafts to the area will not impact the growth of the native hair for obvious reasons. This is less of a concern with female patients, but it still needs to be taken into consideration.
Other issues to consider include choosing a hair surgeon with reconstructive experience, especially with hairlines since they require single-hair follicular units only in order to look natural. One should also be prepared for swelling on the forehead or front of the face post-operatively. Typically, however, these results can turn out beautifully and would encourage anyone considering this type of corrective surgery to look into it. Good luck!
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