Bony Forehead Reduction

Q: Dr. Eppley, I would like to ask a question regarding bony forehead reduction reshaping/reconstruction. My forehead bulges outwardly like that of a beluga whale and I was wondering is there anything that can be done to alter the appearance of it so it’s mess convex and more smoother/flatter. I was reading about scalp advancement and burring of the frontal bone.I’m not sure that will work in my case as my forehead isn’t like a normal one. Please advise.

A: Please send me some pictures of your forehead for my assessment and recommendations. I have seen many cases of frontal bossing and I have not yet seen one where improvement in its shape can not be done.

Reduction of a protruding forehead is done by removing the outer table of the skull bone. Whether that would be enough of a reduction to make a difference in your case remains to be seen. Ultimately a lateral skull film x-ray is needed to see the thickness of the outer table and to see how much shape difference its removal would make.

But in most cases of bony forehead reduction the amount of bone removed that can be done is usually enough to make a very visible and satisfying difference in the amount of forehead protrusion.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana