Skull Reshaping for Indentation

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have some concerns regarding my head shape. To be specific, I have some abnormalities that are isolated to the top of the back of my head. I have one quite big indentation, probably caused by something hitting me to the head when I was younger, which also has caused the skin surrounding the indentation area to be a little lumpy. I believe I have a head shape similar to the “Skull reshaping 10” pictures from your photo gallery. I believe the only way to fix it is by adding what you call bone cement in the indentation. My questions to you are:

– Do you think this indentation is fixable? And from the little I have explained above, do you think fixing the indentation also would fix the lumpyness around that area?

– How much time is needed for a procedure like this? Are we talking a week or more for recovery? 

– What are the risks when adding bone cement to my existing bone structure? 

– Will putting bone cement into my body be of any hindrance when it comes to physical activity etc? 

I hope you can answer all my questions, and I do hope this is something that could work for me, as it has been something that I constantly worry about. 

A: To best answer your skull reshaping questions about what can be done with your skull shape concerns, I would need to see some pictures of your head. By your description the best way to effectively treat it would be a custom skull implant made from a 3D CT scan. This procedures the best contour result while avoiding any edge contour issues of the implant-bone interface. This is a procedure in which you could return home in a few days after the procedure. Rather than being a hindrance to any physical activity, such an implant actually increases the protection of the skull.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana