Can My Forehead Be Reduced Enough In Profile To Make Me Look Normal?

Q: My forehead sticks out from the side is there anyway you could make it flat and look at least normal? I have attached s side view of my forehead so you can see how far it really sticks out.

A: Thank you for sending your picture. It does show a fair amount of convexity to your forehead. The amount of convexity could be reduced but it can not be made to be flat. The bone thickness will not support that much reduction.

Here is a computer image of what I think is the best that could be achieved with a burring reduction of the forehead bone. There is one way to know absolutely for sure how much reduction can be done and that is to get a simple lateral skull film x-ray. On that x-ray the thickness and, most importantly the thickness of the outer cranial table can be seen. The skull (forehead) is composed of three layers; an inner and outer hard cortical bone layer in between which exists a softer marrow diploic space. The amount of horizontal reduction of the forehead is limited by the thickness of the outer cranial table. It can only be reduced until one gets close to the diploic space. Measuring that on the x-ray could show how much the forehead could be reduced in thickness. A tracing of the before and after cranial contour could then show you the exact profile change that could be achieved.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana