Can I Get A Skull Reduction And Hairline Advancement At The Same Time?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in a full skull reduction and hairline lowering procedure. I have always had an issue with my large head and I do want to make it smaller. In addition, is it possible to make my face less wide as I feel like the sides of my face are chubby? With both surgeries, do you think I will be able to receive a significant change in my head shape? I have put a black line on where I would like my reduction results to be. If not, what would you recommend? With my larger forehead, Im not really sure what head shape I have. Overall, I just want to have a nice head shape for my facial features as I feel like my head shape doesn’t compliment it. 

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. When it comes to skull reduction and frontal hairline advancement surgery, because of the different incisions needed for both they are contradictory to ever being performed together. As a result you should focus on the frontal hairline advancement. Once any incision is ever made behind the frontal hairline the hairline advancement can never be subsequently performed.

For the frontal hairline advancement the degree of advancement you are showing would require a first stage scalp expansion. Your scalp is too tight to ever move that much on its own. The first stage scalp expansion is also best for the frontal hairline scar. I suspect that when your hairline is advanced and the amount of forehead show reduced your head shape size will no longer be an issue. 

As for ‘chubby’ cheeks typical defatting procedures of buccal lipectomy and perioral liposuction are performed for that type of facial fullness reduction.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana