Are My Skull Reduction Drawings Realistic?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a question regarding skull-shaping. I have a bump on the top of my head and the back of my head sticks out way too much. I am hoping to get these areas reduced so that my skull would have a more round shape. I want to know if this amount of skull reduction would be possible at all. Here's a picture to show you what I'm thinking, not necessarily the exact way I did it but something along those lines, what would be realistic?

A: Thank you for your inquiry. The areas of the skull that you show you want reduced can be reduced, it is just a question of magnitude. Generally speaking up to 5mms of outer table skull thickness can be reduced in most patients. Probably what you are showing is a little more than that so exactly what you are showing is not realistic But I have seen some signficant external changes occur when only 5mms is reduced, particularly when two skull areas are being reduced. That amount of skull reduction may not sound like much but often is more visible from the outside than what that number may seem.