Hairline Restoration: Surgical, Cosmetic & Natural Methods

Hairline restoration might sound like a big step, but if you’ve noticed your hairline creeping back, it could be an option. Up to 50 percent of men experience a receding hairline by age 50. Hairline replacement is a way to bring back what time and genetics may have taken away.

Hairline hair transplants are invasive and expensive. But they might also be worth it — especially if you feel self-conscious about your hairline. 

Whether you’re exploring hair transplant surgery or weighing less invasive options, here’s everything you need to know about restoring your hairline and boosting your confidence.

Surgical hair restoration surgery, or hair transplantation surgery, is a surgical procedure in which a doctor enhances or restores your hairline by grafting hair follicles from elsewhere on your body or scalp.

Receding or thinning hairlines are usually caused by androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern hair loss. Unfortunately, this form of hair loss gets worse over time when left untreated. 

This surgery takes existing hair follicles from healthy parts of your scalp. These donor hair grafts are then transplanted to your hairline (or any other bald spots). The transplanted hair grafts then begin to grow, resulting in a natural-looking hairline that blends in with the rest of your hair.

Today, two hair transplant techniques are commonly used for frontal hairline restoration or restoring an entire hairline: follicular unit extraction (also called FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (known as FUT). 

FUT is considered more efficient and faster than FUE. With FUT, the surgeon removes a strip of donor skin (the area of your body where the hair is harvested from) with donor hair follicles from your body, separates each individual follicle, and then grafts each follicle where they’re needed. It’s a bit messier surgically but faster than other hair transplant options.

With FUE procedures like neograft hair transplants or the ARTAS robotic system, those individual follicles are extracted one at a time from the donor location and grafted directly without the middle step of follicle separation.

FUE takes longer, but it reduces the scope of injury at the donor site, which may mean a lower risk of infection and a faster healing process. Furthermore, this also reduces the amount of scarring at the donor site and makes for less pain after surgery. 

And because the procedure takes one hair at a time, it means that individual hairs can be taken from smaller and more inconspicuous sites for the transplant, rather than large segments that would be left with noticeable scar patterns. 

The type of hair restoration surgery you choose may impact cost and effectiveness — read our blog post on FUT vs FUE for more information on these hair loss treatments.

Hairline Restoration Surgery Effectiveness

Both hairline restoration styles are considered effective, assuming everything was done correctly. Transplanting hair follicles is a safe and effective way to restore hair growth and function to an area where pattern hair loss has occurred. 

That said, hairline restoration is still an invasive surgical procedure with a higher likelihood of complications than medication. While infections and rejections are not expected or common outcomes, there are still side effects to consider.

Side Effects of Hairline Restoration Surgery

Let’s talk about the risks of hairline restoration surgery. Short-term effects of restoration surgery may include:

• Ingrown hairs

• Cysts

• Telogen effluvium and similar types of hair loss

• Infection

• Rejection

• Bleeding

Certain conditions and diseases like autoimmune diseases can increase the risks of side effects or complications of hair restoration.

Your healthcare provider will look for signs of disease, inflammation, dry scalp, and redness that might indicate that a hairline transplant might not be effective.

But the truth is that the main concern you face when undergoing this surgery is that your expectations are probably not going to align with what you get for a result. 

Your hair is probably never going to look exactly the way it did before you lost it, and it will have imperfections due to the surgery and the difference in hair textures from your head to your body.

And sometimes (in rare cases), the transplant doesn’t even work at all, leading to wasted follicles, scars, and medical bills with nothing to show for them.

If you’re looking for alternatives to hair restoration surgery, there are plenty of effective and safe (and much less costly) approaches that you should consider. You can talk to a healthcare provider about what might help you.

Non-Surgical Hair Loss Procedures

If you don’t want to go under the knife, there are still treatments and procedures that can help your hair's appearance (and even the regrowth).

The following procedures can encourage new hair growth:

• Laser hair growth treatments  

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)  

• Microneedling 

• Low-level light therapy  

Another procedure worth considering? Scalp micropigmentation. It’s like a natural-looking hair tattoo that fills in gaps and balding areas, creating the appearance of a fuller hairline. 

Hair Growth Medications

There are several FDA-approved medications for the treatment of hair loss, including:

• Finasteride. This prescription-only medication comes in both topical and oral formats. Finasteride works by blocking DHT, the hormone that causes male pattern baldness. 

• Minoxidil. Topical minoxidil foam and minoxidil solution, which are available over the counter, promote hair growth by increasing blood flow to the follicles. Read more about using minoxidil for receding hairlines.

• A combined treatment. You can use both minoxidil and finasteride at the same time. You could try our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray for a 2-in-1 approach. 

While minoxidil can be purchased without a prescription, it’s still a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional before trying a new medication of any kind. 

Hairline Concealers

Are you wary of medical, surgical, or other hairline treatments? Want a little cover-up to diminish that bald spot on the back of the head or fill in some thinning hair? 

There are non-surgical hair replacement and concealing options for you, too, including:

• Wigs

• Hair concealers 

• Toupees 

• Hair replacement systems 

Nowadays, hair concealers and wigs can give you natural-looking results. You’d be surprised how good some of them look!

Lifestyle Habits for Healthy Hair

Making changes to your lifestyle can create better conditions for growing hair. 

For your best head of hair, you should make sure that you are:

• Cutting down on stress

• Getting enough sleep and exercise

• Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet

• Practice good scalp care and hair care habits

• Getting enough of vitamins A and D and biotin, which are crucial for hair follicle function

This won’t magically regrow a receding hairline, but they will support healthy hair growth and reduce your chances of losing more hair to lifestyle factors.

Hairline hair transplants are an effective option for restoring a receding hairline. But there are alternatives out there, including scientifically-backed medications.  

If you want to handle your thinning hair with a hair transplant procedure, be sure to ask questions, get informed, and then make your choice. 

Here’s what to remember as you start that search:

• Hair transplants have their benefits. With the right surgeon, you can get a full, natural-looking hairline — as if it never receded in the first place. 

• But there are also drawbacks. Since its surgery, it can be both invasive and costly. Plus, the healing process can take a while. 

• Consider alternative hair loss treatments. Finasteride, minoxidil

If you think going under the knife is the best option, we recommend scheduling a time to talk to a healthcare professional about your hairline concerns first. They can help assess your hair loss and suggest an appropriate treatment plan.