Can A Custom Skull Implant Correct My Asymmetrical V-Shaped Head?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 29 year old male and I have had an asymmetrical/V-shape head shape since puberty around 12-13 years old. Prior to this period, my head  shape was NOT significantly deformed and my nose was not deformed or large (but they are now). 

But when I hit puberty, my facial structure changed profoundly, because my nose became more prominent and my head shape became significantly unequal and somewhat lopsided. I have a theory that essentially a nose of my mothers side came through during puberty (a kind of genetic mistake) and this has altered/affected my whole overall facial appearance and head structure (including head shape, jaw, back of head, nose).   

My head is asymmetrical (right side more deformed and lower than the left), slightly lopsided (right side sticks out more), V-shaped, lumpy and some bones or muscles in the side of my head move when I clench my teeth (to an unusual degree from what I can see in the general population). I try and hide my weird headshape by styling my hair a certain way, but this is futile as ultimately the hair just reflects the contours of my head, so as the day goes on my hair reflects the head’s asymmetric/deformed shape.  

 Along with my nose, my head shape has affected my quality of life, After googling and seeing your work, which I think is simply excellent, I am therefore interested in having skull correction surgery, an implant or a combination of works done to correct my head shape. Ideally, if surgery is possible with you, I would want there to be a significant improvement such that for all intents and purposes the overall deformity of my head shape is corrected to a large degree.

A: Thank you for your inquiry and detailing your head shape concerns to which I can answer the following questions:

1) Any number of additive/reductive changes can be made to the shape of the skull. You have enumerated your areas of head shape concern and nothing about that description implies that it could not be adequately addressed/improved. It would take a 3D CT scan to correlate what lies underneath to your external concerns and then devise the specific plan to treat it.

2) Custom skull implants can be made in any design (as long as its overall added volume is not excessive) that is needed so your specific shape request can be done.

3) No patient has yet reported to me that they had bothersome persistent scalp numbness after the placement of a skull implant.

4) My assistant Camille will pass along the general cost of the surgery to you.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana