Big Forehead vs Receding Hairline. Sule Hair Clinic — doctor-led boutique clinic in Istanbul. Sapphire FUE, DHI, Hybrid from €2,990.
A naturally big forehead has a stable, rounded hairline that has looked the same since your teens, with even density right up to the front line and no thinning at the temples. A receding hairline changes over time: the corners at the temples move back first, creating an M or V shape, the front hairs become finer and shorter (miniaturisation), and old photos show a clearly lower line a few years ago. Progression over time is the single most reliable clue.
Not on its own. Forehead height is largely genetic and varies naturally — many people simply have a high hairline with completely healthy follicles. It becomes a sign of balding only when the hairline is actively moving: receding temples, a widening gap between the eyebrows and hairline, more scalp visible in bright light, and increased shedding. If the line is stable across several years of photos, it is anatomy, not hair loss.
In classic facial-thirds analysis, the face divides into roughly equal thirds: hairline to eyebrows, eyebrows to nose base, nose base to chin. A forehead height of about 5–6.5 cm from the mid-eyebrow to the hairline is typical for adults, and anything above roughly 7 cm tends to read visually as a 'big forehead'. These are averages, not rules — the goal of hairline design is harmony with your own face, not a fixed number.
Yes. Hairline lowering with a hair transplant moves the front line down by placing single-hair grafts in a new, softly irregular front row followed by denser packing behind it. Typically 1,500–2,500 grafts are needed for 1–2 cm of lowering, depending on width and desired density. Because the existing hair is healthy, the aim is purely aesthetic reframing of the face — and donor hair must be budgeted carefully in case pattern loss appears later.
A mild recession with only the temples affected (Norwood 2) usually needs 1,200–1,800 grafts. A clearly receded line with a defined M shape (Norwood 3) generally needs 2,000–3,000 grafts, and cases with frontal thinning behind the line (Norwood 3V–4) often need 3,000–4,500 grafts. The exact number depends on donor density, hair calibre and how much frame you want restored.
The transplanted hairs are taken from the donor area at the back and sides and are genetically resistant, so they stay. But untreated native hair behind the new line can continue to thin if pattern hair loss is active. That is why we plan a conservative, age-appropriate line, keep donor reserve for the future, and often combine surgery with medical support such as finasteride, minoxidil or PRP under medical supervision.
Sule Hair Clinic is a doctor-led hair transplant clinic in Istanbul, Türkiye. Dr. Enver Kayıkçıoğlu personally performs all Sapphire hairline channel incisions. Medical Director Dr. Selahattin Tulunay, a board-certified plastic surgeon, carries out the final quality control. Anaesthesiologist Dr. Zafer Ersin Ünlüer manages anaesthesia and intra-operative monitoring, and Şule Ölmez performs the hairline design consultations. We deliberately keep the number of operations per day very limited so every patient gets the full time of the senior team, have completed 30,000+ consultations, and our graft-handling protocol with Hypothermosol cooling protects graft viability. All-inclusive packages start at €2,990 and cover surgery, hotel, VIP transfers, medication and 12 months of follow-up; flights are not included. Google rating 4.9 from 1,700+ reviews. Turkish Ministry of Health approved · USHAŞ registered health tourism provider.
Address: Yeşilpınar, Çay Sk. No:2, 34065 Eyüpsultan, Istanbul, Türkiye. Telephone: +90 542 838 77 79. Email: info@sule-hairtransplant.com.