What exactly do they mean by a hair transplant that 'frames the face'?

[HairRun]

I see that phrase a lot. Is the phrase all there is to it, or is there something that they mean specifically, maybe using certain facial landmarks for something optimal 

[Yan bio]

There’s much to be said about this, but forehead height should be third of the length between hairline to chin

Edited September 29, 2022 by Yan bio

[JohnnyR]

Its about proportion in your face. Imagine a NW1 hairline and a hairline where the frontal tirdh is completely gone.

firts case you have a „frame“, second you dont have

[NARMAK]

There's an artistic interpretation at play here imo on what "frame the face" means but let's all be honest, a Norwood 7 isn't going to get the same HT to "frame the face" as they would if they were a Norwood 3 or lower. 

The facial landmarks are one method for the "Thirds" to create this so called "golden ratio" but it isn't always accurate. Sometimes a person may have a frontalis muscle that's not as high or higher, and limits the placement of grafts or the ability to be more aggressive. 

Every patient should be taken into account on a holistic basis imo and with respect to the best HT doctors out there, their field is more hair transplant than facial aesthetics so they're not as intimately trained as say a facial plastic surgeon etc. 

I personally went with a hairline design predominantly of my own choosing with obviously a sensible input from the doctor on what's realistic and achievable too. I'm very happy with it but it was designed with maximum facial aesthetics in mind but i'm or was a Norwood 2 at start. 

[Fue3361]

It makes your face look better proportioned (meaning also more attractive). 

[NARMAK]

1 hour ago, Fue3361 said:

It makes your face look better proportioned (meaning also more attractive). 

I know this is subjective, but 100% there's people out there that have had work done and its made them less attractive looking and sophisticated as they looked with mild recession etc. 

Unfortunately Turkey and their "Drake Hairline" designs are a good example. 

[RTC]

Put it this way: having a good hairline and temples ALWAYS makes a face look more handsome. Even if that person buzzes their hair very low, the presence of a decent hairline alone will make them look better.

Edited September 29, 2022 by RTC

[LookMaxx]

I always thought it meant being a NW1 hairline. 

[1978matt]

It just means like a picture frame: horizonal being the front hairline and vertical the hair either side of your ears.

Without a hairline your forehead has no end point, causing some peoples eyes to wander when they look at you.

Edited September 29, 2022 by 1978matt

[Hairy Henderson]

13 hours ago, NARMAK said:

There's an artistic interpretation at play here imo on what "frame the face" means but let's all be honest, a Norwood 7 isn't going to get the same HT to "frame the face" as they would if they were a Norwood 3 or lower. 

The facial landmarks are one method for the "Thirds" to create this so called "golden ratio" but it isn't always accurate. Sometimes a person may have a frontalis muscle that's not as high or higher, and limits the placement of grafts or the ability to be more aggressive. 

Every patient should be taken into account on a holistic basis imo and with respect to the best HT doctors out there, their field is more hair transplant than facial aesthetics so they're not as intimately trained as say a facial plastic surgeon etc. 

I personally went with a hairline design predominantly of my own choosing with obviously a sensible input from the doctor on what's realistic and achievable too. I'm very happy with it but it was designed with maximum facial aesthetics in mind but i'm or was a Norwood 2 at start. 

Did you consult with anyone prior to designing your own hairline? 

[NARMAK]

9 hours ago, Calihome1 said:

Did you consult with anyone prior to designing your own hairline? 

I watched some YouTube videos very intently including the one from Eugenix about hairline positioning. The primary roadblock imo on this whole "Thirds" thing is actually that some people naturally have a frontalis muscle that seems to be higher and usually its advised to put the grafts above it so when you crease your forehead, the hairline isn't moving back and forth. That said, i also took into account the "thirds rule" some people like to use BUT it's not a set in stone rule and the way some people head shapes are need to be adjusted for. 

My main goal was a complete restoration of my temple points but if i was going to restore my temple points, i didn't want to end up lowering my hairline too much either. I wanted the "right balance" and so looked at people with the hairline design i wanted. Then, the day before my surgery i had a conversation with my doctor and had her look at all the reference photos and we adjusted the hairline design a bit to match my facial aesthetics on the day. In terms of the design, i was generally very happy with it but in hindsight i would have adjusted the right temple a little bit in the shape. Just to make it match the left a bit more but this slight asymmetry will probably help when it's grown out at 12 months with the naturalness. 

I think we do need to understand that there is very much an aesthetic component to hair transplants but the finite and limited donor area is what can stop a lot of people getting the best design for their face. Also, the idea of "aging" into the permanent hairline, but hell, i never looked at Ronald Reagan with his immaculate low hairline and thought he was a child, so i guess it's all subjective.