Evaluation of hair transplantation for improving unnatural hairlines after laser hair removal: A multicenter retrospective study.

Context: Laser hair removal treatment for hairlines with an unsatisfactory appearance often leads to an unnatural appearance; however, few studies have reported treatment outcomes.
Objective: To explore the satisfaction rate of laser hair removal involving the hairline.
Design: Retrospective analysis.
Setting: Data from 5 clinical institutions.
Patients: Patients (915; 630 female and 285 male) who underwent laser hair removal.
Interventions: Issues associated with hair removal were classified, and their proportions were calculated. Hair transplantation was performed to improve the appearance of different hairline issues.
Main Outcome Measures: Relevant indicators of hair transplantation and postoperative effects.
Results: Overall, 82 patients were unsatisfied with their hairline appearance; of these patients, 58 underwent hair transplantation to improve the hairline. Additionally, demographic statistics showed that 68% and 32% of patients were in the 20 to 30 and 30 to 40 years age groups, respectively; there were no patients in the 40 to 50 years age group. Among female patients who underwent hair transplantation, 25% had a poor hairline position, 64% had a stiff hairline appearance, and 11% experienced both issues. Among male patients, 50% had a stiff hairline appearance, 28% had temporal absence, and 22% experienced both issues. Surgical treatment included moving the hairline forward and rebuilding the frontal curves. All patients were satisfied with hair transplantation outcomes.
Conclusions: Laser hair removal can result in diverse types of unnatural hairlines. Hair transplantation has been proven to effectively improve the aesthetic appearance of the hairline.
(Copyright © 2024 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)