Can A Forehead Reduction Be Done By Burring Alone?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m interested in getting a forehead reduction with the hairline lowering included. However the bossing of my forehead is the entire bone, top middle and down to the bottom over the brow bones. Can these areas be burred and reshape with the same approach you use on the brow ridge and eye orbits sockets as well?

A: The entire forehead can be reduced by burring. The only exception or caution would be over the brow bones where the underlying frontal sinus exists. The bone on the front of the frontal sinuses (brow bones) is usually very thin and may be only 3 to 4mms thick before the frontal sinus is encountered. A lateral skull film x-ray is needed before surgery to measure the thickness of the bone to see how much it can be reduced by burring. If more reduction is needed than just burring can allow, then an osteoplastic bone flap technique is needed to maximize the lower end of the forehead reduction. In a woman this is rarely needed however.

That is a long answer to say that a burring technique can sufficiently reduce the amount of bossing of the frontal bone and is often done on conjunction with a hairline lowing/advancement.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana