Hairline Advancement vs. Hair Transplant: What’s the Difference?

Published on October 10, 2025 by Face Forward Houston

Have you ever wished you could reduce your forehead? Wanted your hairline lowered back to where it was years ago? Wondered what is the best treatment for a high hairline? There are two popular treatments that can help change that: hairline advancement surgery (forehead reduction) and hair transplants. At Face Forward Houston, we have expert surgeons in both procedures! Dr. Regina Rodman is an expert at hairline advancement surgery, and has performed hundreds of hairline advancement surgeries in all skin colors and types. She is known for scars that heal to nearly invisible. Dr. Melissa Bender is a hair restoration and hair transplant specialist, having studied all over the world to learn the most advanced techniques, ensuring natural results.

How It Works

Think of your hairline as the edge of a forest. For some people, that “forest” starts higher up the hill (your forehead) than they’d prefer. Both treatments bring that forest edge closer to your eyebrows, but they do it in different ways.

Hairline Advancement Surgery (Forehead Reduction)

Picture this: your hair like a mat full of trees (your hairs) resting on your head like a blanket. In hairline advancement surgery, a surgeon gently the mat up off your head, and then pulls it forward so the mat now sits down lower on your forehead. In forehead reduction surgery, Dr. Rodman lifts the scalp, and then carefully pulls it down lower. Then she puts very careful stitches to keep it in its new lower position. This can make your forehead look smaller right away.

Best for: People with thick, stable hairlines that aren’t thinning or actively receding.

Benefits:

• Moves the hairline lower with instant results
• Forehead Reduction: your forehead looks smaller immediately
• No need to shave hairs, no wait for growth

Hair Transplant

Think of the edge of a forest, where the trees stop and there is just flat grass. Think of hair transplant like planting new little trees in the grass. The new trees grow and the forest expands. In a hair transplant. Dr. Bender takes single hair follicles from the back or sides of your head (where the hair is usually thickest). These tiny follicles, called grafts, have 1-3 hairs in them. Then, Dr. Bender carefully plants these grafts in the area where you want more hair. Usually they are put in front of the hairline, the temples or the top of the head. These new hairs are sealed in right away, but it takes time for these new little hairs to grow in.

Best for:

• People with thinning or receding hairlines, those who are losing hair in one area
• Patient who want to change the shape their hairline, make in more round

Main benefits:

• Hairline Restoration: Gives volume back to the front or top of the head where hair has been lost.
• Reshaping the hairline: hair transplantation can fill in temporal recessions, round the hairline, and change the shape as well as lower it.

Quick Comparison

Which One Is Right for You?

The best choice depends on your hair type, your goals, and whether your hairline is still changing. During a consultation, Dr. Rodman and Dr. Bender can examine your hair and help you decide which option will give you the most natural, lasting results. The Face Forward Team will work with you to help you decide what procedure is best for you.

Ready to explore your options? Request a consultation to discuss hairline advancement vs. hair transplant and create a plan tailored to you.