Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media
Topics: Health, UK News, Mental Health
Joe Harker
A woman who was called 'fivehead' by bullies ended up spending £9,000 on forehead reduction surgery to get her hairline surgically lowered.
27-year-old Beth Halsey had used the tried and tested 'have a fringe' technique for years, but was worried about the wind exposing her forehead to the world after she'd endured bullying for it.
The Essex woman said she's always 'hated' the size of her forehead and been called a 'fivehead' by bullies at school.
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She didn't want to be in photos without her fringe down and was afraid of being outside on windy days in case her hair might be blown to and fro.
After years of this she decided it was worth spending £9,000 on going under the knife to reduce the size of her forehead.
Beth has since said the surgery was 'life-changing' and she now feels she has the confidence to walk around outside without a fringe.
"I had a fringe and hid my forehead my whole life pretty much," she said of her reason for getting the surgery.
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"I always had the insecurity even with the fringe. I always used to worry about walking down the street on a windy day that my fringe was going to blow back.
"I've had a fringe my whole life and had one cut in since the age of around seven. At school people used to say 'why's your head so big?' and they'd call me 'five-head'.
"I've always hated it and tried to hide it away. I'd always think about it if I was swimming on holiday. I'd never have any pictures taken if I didn't have my fringe down. It did affect my self-esteem."
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Beth first heard about hairline lowering surgery two years ago and decided to go under the knife, with her surgery coming on 5 March this year.
She spent three hours under local anaesthetic to remove part of the skin on her head and is very happy with the results.
The Essex woman said it was 'absolutely fine' for people to have a fringe but she'd just ended up in a place where she hated it and the forehead underneath it.
Beth said: "For some people having a fringe is absolutely fine but for me it got to the point where I then started hating the fringe as well as the forehead. I didn't want to be stuck with it forever.
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She said: "When people say 'there's nothing wrong with me' that's not the compliment people think it is.
"It comes across as quite patronising. I know I don't have to have this surgery but it's going to change my life and it has.
"I never knew surgery was an option. I learnt about this surgery, looked into it and went for the consultation and it was all amazing.
"They try to keep it looking natural and make sure your face still looks in proportion. My hairline was lowered by about an inch or just under."
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In the end she said it 'just felt like a bad headache after', and that the pain of the operation was 'manageable', while she's 'over the moon' with the visual results.