Female Custom Forehead Implant Case Example

A custom female forehead implant is designed to create a smoother, fuller, and more feminine forehead contour while preserving the natural aesthetic characteristics of the female upper face. Unlike a standard implant, it is custom-designed from a 3D CT scan to precisely match the patient’s skull anatomy and desired amount of augmentation.

Key design goals for female forehead implants include:

• Gentle convexity: Create a smooth, rounded forehead rather than a prominent or masculine brow.
• Limited to No brow augmentation: The brow bone is usually left unchanged or only subtly enhanced to avoid a heavy supraorbital ridge.
• Lateral temporal blending: The implant tapers naturally into the temporal regions to eliminate visible edges and create a seamless transition.
• Hairline considerations: The implant can be designed to improve upper forehead shape while maintaining feminine forehead proportions.
• Variable thickness: Most implants range from 3–8 mm in thickness, with greater thickness used only when significant contour correction is desired.

Ideal Candidates

• Naturally flat or recessed foreheads
• Vertically short forehead
• Mild forehead asymmetry
• Congenital contour deficiencies
• Patients seeking a softer, more balanced facial profile
• Individuals who desire a permanent alternative to fat grafting

Advantages of a Custom Implant

• Designed specifically for the patient’s anatomy
• Predictable, permanent contour enhancement
• Smooth edges that blend into the surrounding skull
• No donor-site surgery
• Minimal risk of movement when properly fixated

The hallmark of a successful female forehead implant is that it should not look like an implant—it simply gives the forehead a naturally fuller, smoother, and more harmonious appearance that complements the rest of the face. This is particularly relevant in females where too large of an implant is easy to do and highly visible.

Case Example

This female had a shorter, flatter and more retroclined forehead than she desired. Her forehead augmentation goal was a straighter and more convex forehead shape that adds a little vertical forehead length. A custom forehead implant was designed that excluded the brow bones and stopped at the lateral temporal bony line. The maximum with 4.5mm projection at the upper forehead with a total implant volume of 38ccs.

The implant was inserted through a concealed limited incision 5 to 6cms behind the hairline. The implant has holes placed in it for implant orientation and positioning since much of its placement is done blindly. Once the implant is positioned it Iissecured with small titanium screws.

Recovery usually involves forehead swelling for 2–3 weeks, with final contour becoming apparent over several months as swelling resolves.

Discussion

The design of a custom female forehead implant differs substantially from a male forehead implant. The objective is not to create a larger forehead, but rather to restore or enhance feminine forehead curvature while maintaining soft, natural contours.

Primary Design Characteristics

1. Smooth Central Convexity

• The implant creates a gentle, continuous outward curve across the central forehead.
• It eliminates flatness or shallow depressions without appearing overly projected.
• Typical augmentation ranges from 3 to 8 mm, depending on the patient’s anatomy and aesthetic goals.

2. Minimal Brow Ridge Enhancement

• The female brow should remain soft and only subtly projected.
• The implant tapers smoothly into the superior orbital rims rather than creating a distinct supraorbital ridge.
• This preserves the characteristic female forehead-to-brow transition.

3. Broad Lateral Extension

• The implant extends laterally toward the temporal fusion lines.
• These extensions prevent a “central mound” appearance and create a naturally wide, rounded forehead.
• Edges feather to nearly zero thickness for imperceptible blending.

4. Uniform Surface Curvature

• The implant is designed with continuous radius changes rather than abrupt contour transitions.
• This creates a smooth reflection of light across the forehead, an important characteristic of an attractive feminine forehead.

5. Preservation of Forehead Height

• Most female implants increase projection rather than vertical height.
• The superior border is carefully designed to blend into the existing skull well behind the hairline.

6. Thin Peripheral Margins

• Edge thickness gradually decreases to zero over 2–4 cm.
• This prevents visible or palpable implant margins.

7. Custom Correction of Asymmetry

• Thickness can vary from side to side to correct congenital or acquired forehead asymmetry.
• The implant is individually sculpted from the patient’s CT scan rather than being symmetrical by default.

Geometric Design Philosophy

Rather than adding volume uniformly, the implant functions as a three-dimensional topographic correction. Thickness varies across the implant to create the desired external contour while maintaining smooth transitions to the surrounding skull. This variable-thickness design is one of the principal advantages of custom CAD/CAM implants over standard prefabricated implants.

Differences Between Female and Male Forehead Implants

The hallmark of a successful female forehead implant is that it enhances forehead fullness without calling attention to itself. When properly designed, the forehead appears naturally rounded, balanced, and harmonious with the eyes, nose, and facial profile, rather than looking surgically augmented.

Barry Eppley, MD, DMD

Plastic Surgeon