HAIR RESTORATION · LONDON
Hairline Restoration
The most scrutinised part of any transplant. Designed to your face, approved by you in a mirror, and built with single-hair grafts at the edge.
Last clinically reviewed: August 2026
The hairline frames your face. It is the single most scrutinised part of any hair transplant, and the hardest to get right.
A hairline that is too low, too straight or too dense for a man's age is the classic signature of poor work. It looks wrong even to people who cannot explain why. Getting it right is a design problem before it is a surgical one.
How we design your hairline
- Facial proportionThe mid-frontal point is positioned where your upper third naturally begins, measured against your brow and nose base rather than a fixed distance.
- Shape and asymmetryReal hairlines are never perfectly symmetrical. Slight irregularity is designed in deliberately.
- A soft transition zoneThe leading edge uses only single-hair grafts, with two-hair units behind, so density builds gradually rather than starting as a wall.
- Age-appropriate positioningThe line is placed so it still looks credible when you are fifty, not just next year.
- Donor arithmeticEvery millimetre lower costs grafts you cannot get back. The design accounts for what you may need later for the crown.
Temples and corners
Temple recession is often what men notice first, and rebuilding the temporal points is delicate work. The angle of hair growth at the temples is extremely acute, almost flat against the scalp, and grafts placed at the wrong angle stick out visibly.
Temporal work is frequently combined with hairline restoration. See our dedicated temple restoration page for detail.
How many grafts a hairline needs
A hairline-only case typically needs 1,200 to 1,800 grafts. Adding the frontal third behind it commonly brings the total to between 2,000 and 2,800.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Ducu Botoaca
Aesthetic & Hair Transplant Surgeon and founder of The Men Clinics, Soho, London. This page is general information and is not a substitute for a personal medical assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How low can my hairline go?
Lower is not better. A hairline placed too low looks unnatural as you age and consumes donor grafts you may need for the crown later. We position the mid-frontal point where your natural upper third begins, which is usually higher than men expect but is what makes it believable.
Why does the front edge look thin at first?
The leading edge is built from single-hair grafts on purpose. A hairline that starts abruptly at full density reads as a hedge. The softness at the very front is what makes the rest look real.
How many grafts for a hairline?
Usually 1,200 to 1,800 for the hairline alone, or 2,000 to 2,800 when the frontal third behind it is included. Your exact number depends on the area, your hair calibre and the density you are aiming for.
Can a hairline transplant be repaired if it was done badly elsewhere?
Often, yes. Poorly angled or overly straight hairlines can be softened by extracting problem grafts and redistributing them, combined with new single-hair work at the edge. See our repair and revision page.
Will people notice straight away?
During the first two weeks there will be visible redness and small crusts. After that the transplanted hairs shed, so the area looks much as it did before until growth begins around month four. The change becomes obvious to others between months six and nine.
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Ready to talk to a specialist?
Book a free, no-obligation consultation at our Soho clinic. You will get an examination, an honest assessment and a written plan with no deposit requested on the day.
The information on this page is general guidance and is not medical advice. It does not replace a personal consultation with a qualified clinician. Individual results vary. The Men Clinics, Soho, London.