Does the hairline change after a facelift?

Facelift Charlotte NC area

While we certainly have many effective nonsurgical treatments, facial plastic surgery offers the most powerful anti-aging results available. For those who have significant concerns about their facial appearance and who want the most dramatic rejuvenation possible, a surgical facelift is often the best way to achieve this.

Although it’s a powerful way to improve your appearance, any surgical procedure will inevitably leave scars, and facelifts are no exception. Because of the location of the scars for a facelift, the shape and position of the hairline can be impacted. It’s important to be prepared for this, and to do careful planning with your plastic surgeon to achieve a result that you’re happy with.

Where are facelift scars?

There are several different types of facelift, and the scars for each one are a little bit different.

The scar for a traditional facelift begins in the hairline just in front of the ear. It passes down the front of the ear, then curves up and around the back, ending in the hairline behind the ear. With a mini facelift, also known as a short scar facelift, the incision still begins in front of the ear, but doesn’t extend up into the hairline.

A facelift is a highly personalized procedure, so the exact location and length of the facelift scars differs from person to person. This will depend on factors like how much tissue you need removed and your individual anatomy. 

How do facelift scars alter the hairline?

The purpose of a facelift incision is to allow the surgeon to remove excess skin and other tissues, along with lifting the deeper tissue layers. Excess tissue in front of and below the incision will be removed in order to tighten the remaining skin and create a smoother facial appearance.

Because of this, any hair that’s located in front of or below the incision may also be removed permanently. In general, the skin of the cheeks that’s lifted into this area is not hair-bearing. This alters the hairline.

Some people find that their sideburns are higher after a facelift than before, or are even absent altogether. If you used to have hair growing in the area in front of your ear, this may be absent after a facelift. The hairline of the temple may also be a little higher. 

In addition, the hairline behind the ear can be impacted. Sometimes there’s an obvious transition point at the end of the scar.

Can you disguise facelift scars with your hairstyle?

Depending on how you prefer to wear your hair, the changes in your hairline may be easy to disguise with a bit of hair. Growing your hair a little bit longer in the area around the temple and in front of your ear can help to disguise any changes in the sideburns. This can also help to hide the scar. Although a facelift scar is usually very discreet after healing, no scar is completely invisible, and having a little bit of hair to help hide it can be helpful.

However, for those who prefer short hair, this can be a bit more challenging. If you’d prefer not to grow your hair a bit longer in the area in front of your ear, then this is important for your surgeon to know. They may be able to use some different incision techniques to help preserve your sideburns. These different incisions may also limit the amount of tissue that can be removed, so there may be a tradeoff between achieving the most dramatic results and preserving your hairline in some cases.

The hairline behind the ears can also be an issue. For those with very short hair, this area is visible. It also becomes visible when long hair is pulled up. If you’d like to ensure that you can still put your hair up after your procedure without worrying, then you should let your surgeon know. They’ll take extra care in the area behind the ear to ensure a smooth transition of the hairline.

If you find that you’re unhappy with what happens to your hairline after a facelift, a hair transplant may be a good option for you. This involves taking hair follicles from a different part of your scalp and transplanting them into the area around your scar. This can help to hide the scar and also to restore your hairline.

Hairline after facelift Charlotte NC area

Your surgeon should discuss the exact plan for your scars with you before your procedure, so you know what to expect. This will also give you a chance to tell your surgeon what’s important to you, so your surgeon can create a plan that you feel happy with. For example, if you want to be able to wear your hair up, it’s important for your surgeon to know this. If preserving your sideburns is important, they need to know this as well. You and your surgeon can discuss any tradeoffs that will be involved as the incisions are planned.

If you’re considering a facelift and are wondering how it might impact your hairline, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Miles. As a double-board certified plastic surgeon, he has the excellent surgical skills to achieve excellent results for his patients. He’s proficient in a number of different facelift techniques, so he has a wide repertoire of options to draw from in creating the best surgical plan for you. To schedule your appointment, simply contact our front desk.