Am I A Candidate for Skull Reshaping?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m emailing you wondering if I would at all be a candidate for cosmetic skull reshaping. When I was born I was delivered with forceps that unfortunately shaped my head in an odd way. There’s an indent on the back left side of my head that has pushed the front right side forward. Making my skull look ‘pointy’ when viewed head on. I’m curious to know if there is any kind of surgery to make it look more rounded and not a point ridge like it is now?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your picture. Regardless of the origin, at least seen in this one front view, you have a classic scaphocephalic head shape….meaning the top has a midline peak and  the sides of the head are narrow. One can argue which of these two issues are the greatest, the the midline top of the head is too high or  the sides of the head are too narrow, and it is a combination of both but the narrowness of the head shape is really the majority of the problem.

When it comes to treating this type of head shaped there are three options based on how far does one want to go for what degree of correction. These options include: 1) sagittal crest reduction alone, 2) sagittal crest reduction with para sagittal augmentation (between the sagittal crest and the bony temporal line, or 3) sagittal crest reduction with para sagittal and temporal (side of the head) augmentation. As can be seen in the attached three images there is a progressive improvement in the head shape the greater the surface area of the problem is treated.

There is considerations for these options given the shaved nature of your head (incisional access). But initially it is important to consider which aesthetic outcome looks the most favorable to you.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon