Prominent Forehead or Neanderthal Forehead and Its Role in Facial Beauty

Prominent Forehead or Neanderthal Forehead and Its Role in Facial Beauty

Prominent Forehead or Neanderthal Forehead
The forehead is one of the most important parts of the face, making up about one-third of the total facial surface. Although the eyebrows are the only prominent facial feature located in this region, the forehead has a significant impact on the overall attractiveness of a person’s face. There are three key characteristics of the forehead that help define its overall proportions in a person's appearance.

The upper boundary of the forehead is determined by the hairline, which varies significantly between men and women. The lower boundary is marked by the eyebrows and the frontal bones — the bony ridges of the skull located just above the eyes. On the sides, the forehead ends at the temporal ridges, which are the connecting points between the frontal bone and the large temporal muscles.

The shape and size of the forehead can contribute to a masculine or feminine appearance. Male foreheads typically feature a bony ridge above the eyes and beneath the eyebrows, while female foreheads tend to be smoother and flatter.

“Frontal bossing” is a medical term used to describe a prominent forehead and is often accompanied by a pronounced brow ridge.
The goal of forehead contouring surgery is to create a more feminine appearance by reducing these bony protrusions. The procedure aims to smooth the prominent areas and reshape the forehead and surrounding orbital bones to give a more natural and aesthetically pleasing look.

This surgery is typically performed under local anesthesia and takes about 3 hours. Common surgical methods include fat injection, bone cement, silicone sheets, and e-PTFE (Gore-Tex).
Although often performed on men, women who feel their foreheads are overly prominent or masculine may also choose to undergo this surgery.

Read more: What is eyebrow and forehead lift and how is it done?

How Is a Neanderthal Forehead Different from a Regular Prominent Forehead?
There’s another type of protrusion that differs from the Neanderthal forehead. In a Neanderthal-like forehead, the protrusion exists only in the area above the eyebrows, while the upper part of the forehead appears recessed. In contrast, a generally prominent forehead shows a more extensive outward curve involving the entire forehead. This condition is usually genetic and identifiable in childhood.

Parents often notice this feature in their children early on. It should be examined during childhood, and if there are no other medical concerns, it is usually harmless. If the appearance of the prominent forehead causes aesthetic concerns, it can be surgically corrected using similar methods to those used for Neanderthal forehead correction — just over a larger area.

Causes of a Prominent or Neanderthal Forehead
A pronounced forehead in the eyebrow area is one of the most common factors that gives a more rugged or harsh appearance to the face, especially in men and occasionally in women.
This condition may result from excessive growth and enlargement of the frontal sinuses after puberty. The root causes often include excess secretion of growth hormone, hormonal imbalances, or hereditary factors.

Overgrowth of Sinus Walls
The sinuses are air-filled cavities located within the facial bones. They are connected to the nasal passages through a duct known as the sinus canal, which allows drainage of sinus secretions.

One theory suggests that blockage of the sinus duct can trap air inside the sinuses, causing them to overinflate. This increases pressure on the sinus walls and, over time, pushes them outward — resulting in a pronounced forehead, especially above the eyebrows.

This internal pressure may also cause sinus-related headaches. Individuals with prominent foreheads tend to report sinus headaches more often than the general population, though not all are affected. Currently, no studies definitively link these headaches to overgrowth of the sinuses.

Genetic Role in Forehead Prominence
Some researchers believe that genetics plays a central role in forehead prominence, and that the trait is inherited from one's ancestors.