Do You Have a Sloped Forehead? Here’s Why & What it Means

Plus, how sloped foreheads impact attractiveness

Co-authored by Usha Rajagopal, MD and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: November 14, 2025 Fact Checked

What is a sloped forehead?

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Causes

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Attractiveness

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Minimizing a Sloped Forehead

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Video

A sloped forehead is a forehead that angles towards the hairline from the brow ridge. If your forehead is sloped, you may be worried about how it looks and wonder if it’s normal. Don’t worry—in this article, we explain what a sloped forehead is, what causes a sloped forehead, and how it impacts attractiveness. Read on to learn all more!

Sloped Forehead: Quick Overview

A sloped forehead is a forehead that slopes from the hairline to the brow ridge. Sloped foreheads can be caused by things like genetics and ancestry, a prominent brow ridge, and natural forehead volume.

Section 1 of 4:

What is a sloped forehead?

A sloped forehead is a forehead that slopes from the hairline to the brow ridge. This makes the rest of the face protrude more in comparison to the upper third. When looked at from a profile view, a sloped forehead can make the forehead look recessed.
- Both men and women can have sloped foreheads, and the degree of the slope can vary depending on individual genetics and bone structure.^{[1]
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  Usha Rajagopal, MD
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- Interesting fact: People with sloped foreheads may be more impulsive. A study published in the Brazilian Journal of Psychology found that people with a greater forehead slope were more likely to drive recklessly and impulsively. While the study was relatively small with 131 participants, it does follow other research that suggests a correlation between forehead slope and impulsiveness.

Section 2 of 4:

What causes a sloped forehead?

Most of the time, sloped foreheads are caused by genetics. The strong, prominent brow features that contribute to sloped foreheads are inherited from your parents and family members, just like your eyes, hair type, and nose. So, if your family members have sloped foreheads, chances are your sloped forehead comes from them.^{[2]
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A prominent brow ridge (also known as the supraorbital ridge) is directly correlated with a sloped forehead. This is because the protruding brow ridge can exaggerate the slope between the hairline and brows, making the area around the hairline look smaller and the area around the bridge look bigger.^{[3]
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A small forehead may be the cause of a sloped forehead, as a flat or underdeveloped frontal bone above your brow ridge often makes the forehead look more recessed.^{[4]
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MedlinePlus
Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine

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If you have Neanderthal DNA somewhere in your ancestry, that may be the reason why you have a sloped forehead. Neanderthals had prominent, forward-set brow ridges and, therefore, sloped foreheads. If you have any neanderthal ancestry, that may be part of why your forehead is sloped!^{[5]
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Section 3 of 4:

Are sloped foreheads attractive?

Yes, many people find sloped foreheads attractive! Sloped foreheads can give you a distinct, striking appearance. With that said, some people are insecure about their forehead slope. If you’re one of them, there are ways to minimize a sloped forehead so it's less noticeable, which we'll cover in the next section.
- Remember, attractiveness is subjective and often based on more than just physical looks!

Section 4 of 4:

How to Minimize a Sloped Forehead

According to professional hair stylist Courtney Foster, bangs (typically called “fringe” for guys) will make your forehead look smaller, if that’s your goal.^{[6]
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Courtney Foster
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview} Ask your hairstylist or barber for help getting bangs or fringe that work for you, or start growing out your hair if it’s too short for bangs right now.
According to master hair stylist Jamie Bushman, “Anytime that you part the hair on the side of the head and sweep it across the face, it has the ability to kind of minimize the forehead a little bit.” Whether you have long hair or short hair, a side part hairstyle that drapes over your forehead can help minimize its size.^{[7]
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Jamie Bushman
Master Hair Stylist

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Consider aesthetic medical procedures for a permanent change. If you’re looking for a more permanent way to minimize your sloped forehead, there are multiple procedures that can help you achieve your desired outcome, like:
- Brow bone reduction: Shaving down the brow ridge and remodeling the front sinus area to ease the transition between your brow and hairline and make the slope less dramatic.
- Fat grafting: Harvesting fat from the thighs or abdomen, then injecting it into the forehead to enhance the volume.^{[8]
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  Usha Rajagopal, MD
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  Cleveland Clinic
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- Polymethyl-methacrylate filler (PMMA): Semi-permanent injectable filler that can be layered to enlarge the forehead over several sessions.
- Hyaluronic acid fillers: Fillers that help enlarge the forehead without surgery.^{[10]
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- Custom implants: Permanent implants made from porous polyethylene or silicone that are surgically inserted to smooth out the slope and make for a straight, defined look.^{[11]
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  Expert Source
  
  Usha Rajagopal, MD
  Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
  
  Expert Interview}