If your eyes gravitate to the size of your forehead every single time you see yourself in a photo, you've probably already looked into some treatments that may help. And if you're well beyond the point of considering bangs as a treatment, you may have already looked into forehead reduction surgery.
Perhaps you've seen people documenting their healing process after surgery on TikTok, or even scoped out some before and after images on Instagram. However, it can be hard to find specific information online. This is especially true when it comes to the costs, requirements, and recovery times. That said, forehead reduction surgery can be a solid option for people of any age who find themselves spending an inordinate amount of time concerned with the size of their forehead.
Below, two esteemed board-certified plastic surgeons—David Shafer, MD, and Lesley Rabach, MD—break down everything there is to know about forehead reduction surgery, including ideal candidates and the surgery’s potential downsides.
Meet the Expert
- David Shafer, MD, is a board-certified plastic surgeon and owner of the Shafer Clinic in New York City.
- Lesley Rabach, MD, is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City.
What Is Forehead Reduction?
This is a full-on surgery, but while anesthesia is required, you’ll only be under for about one hour. Shafer explained exactly what goes on while you're under the knife. “A strip of skin will be excised (removed) along the anterior hairline at the top of the forehead,” explains Shafer. “The skin is then elevated off of the skull down to the level of the eyebrows. The skin flap is then pulled superiorly toward the anterior hairline and skin edges sewn in place.”
Basically, it's as simple as cutting off a strip of skin just below the hairline and pulling the skin up. This works to slightly raise the eyebrows and to ever-so-slightly pull the hairline downward, which leads to an overall reduction in the forehead’s size. This video definitely deserves a major trigger warning, but in addition to the before and after photos, Shafer demonstrates exactly what happens during the surgery.
The cost of the procedure depends on the city as well as the surgeon, however, with those factors in mind, Shafer says that these surgeries generally cost between $8,000 and $15,000. Rabach, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City, came in a bit higher and says the procedures start at around $20,000. The long and short of it is that they’re pretty pricey.
Benefits of Forehead Reduction Surgery
- Reduction in height of the forehead
- Tightening of skin and reduction of forehead wrinkles
- Slight eyebrow lift
- Slight upper eyelid lift
If you’ve been self-conscious about your forehead for years, there's no doubt that you will consider the results substantial. Rabach says that the ideal size of foreheads for women is 5.5 to 6.5 centimeters, and The Journal of Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine notes that a successful surgery can typically reduce the size of the forehead by an average of 1.6 centimeters. While that may look small on a measuring tape, it can truly transform the overall look of your face.
