Can Brow Bone Shaving Be Done Without A Coronal Incision?

Q : I am a male. I would like to know if Dr. Eppley can do orbital brow bone shaving and whether this can be done without coronal incision. My goal is to achieve a more feminine smooth forehead.

A: Brow bone reshaping can involve different areas of the brow depending upon what one’s aesthetic goal is. If one is interested in a total brow bone reduction, as one would want for a very prominent supraorbital ridge (brow bone), then a coronal incision is needed. This is because at the inner half of the eyebrow are the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves which supply feeling to the forehead. They can only be pushed out of the way from above without injuring them. In addition, the inner half of the brows are not solid bone but just a thin bone covering over the air-filled frontal sinus. Total brow bone reduction can not be done by shaving but by taking the outer bone off, reshaping it, and putting it back in place.

The outer half of the brow, however, can be surgically altered by both shaving  and without needing a large coronal incision from above. This is because the outer half of the brow is solid bone and away from the frontal sinus. It can be done through an upper eyelid incision. The tail of the brow can be reduced and tapered to create more of a lateral sweep which is associated with more of a feminine look.  

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana