FORMA FEATURE / UPPER FACEForehead & hairline: measurements, ratios, and research
Forehead height, width, curvature, and hairline shape frame the upper face. Central height alone misses the temporal corners. This page separates published measurements from interpretation, preference experiments, and community speculation.
What forehead & hairline means
Measure central hairline to glabella for height. Evaluate lateral forehead width separately; use a true profile to inspect inclination.
Facial measurements only become comparable when the view, head position, soft-tissue landmarks, and endpoint definitions are held constant. A number copied from a profile photograph is not interchangeable with a value measured from a clinical scan or a front-facing portrait.
Official measurements, ratios & competing claims
Practical takeaway
Judge the frame, not just forehead height.
Read central height together with the temporal corners, lateral width, and profile slope. A relatively horizontal male hairline with higher corners is a useful descriptive reference.
What changes the answer
The same forehead height looks different with a narrow versus broad face, a recessed hairline, or a prominent brow ridge. Compare the forehead with both remaining facial thirds.
Use these ranges to ask a better question about proportion—not to grade a face or choose a procedure by number alone. A qualified clinician still needs to examine function, tissue, skeletal structure, and your goals in person.
Connected facial features
Read or start forehead & hairline discussions · Explore the interactive atlas