Can My Brow Bone Prominence Be Reduced More Than Just By Shaving?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 33 year old male who has a very prominent brow which over hangs my eyes by at least a cm especially from the bridge of the nose to brow. This severely affects my looks. I have already had surgery where the surgeon shaved the area down after peeling the skin over my face which did slightly improve my appearance but nowhere near enough. The only answer I can see as someone obviously without any knowledge of a medical procedure to facilitate this is that if the brow bone was trimmed from the sides and the brow and presumably nose ‘pulled back’ and recessed. After googling cosmetic surgeons you appear to be one of the few doctors that may be able to help me with this. I don’t consider myself a vain person but just wish to have a relatively normal life. Do you think my brow bones can be further reduced? If so what potential risks are involved. As a cosmetic surgeon I am sure you are more than aware of the psychological damage that looking unusual can be and I am placing hope that maybe this can be changed. Thank you in advance.

A: Brow bone reduction by shaving rarely produces a satisfactory result. It may be a simpler procedure but it can only reduce the brow prominence by a few millimeters. Any further reduction will enter the frontal sinus cavity. Men in particular require an osteotomy technique for brow bone reduction as the amount of reduction can easily be 5mm to 7mms, if not more.

Please send me a few pictures of your forehead for my assessment. You have already been exposed to the greatest risk of the procedure, that of a scalp scar

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana