Can I Get A Crown/Back Of The Head Augmentation of 1 1/2 Inches?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Hello, I have a flat crown/flat back of skull. I figure I would need about an 1 1/2 inches of added depth to the top and back of skull to provide my ideal skull shape. Please advise if this can be attained realistically. Thanks.

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. Crown of skull/back of heads are commonly done using a custom skull implant. However the stretch of the scalp always a controlling factor in how much augmentation can be achieved in a single surgery. While I would question the number of an ‘inch and a half’ or 37mms of augmentation that is actually needed (most people way overestimate their augmentation needs as they do not appreciate the effects that come with the large surface area effect of changing a convex surface), suffice it to say that your optimal augmentation needs could only met with a two stage approach. Such a two stage approach uses either a first stage scalp expansion followed by placement of the definitive implant or designing a two piece implant and placing the layered implants in two stages.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana