Can Skull Reshaping Fix My Odd Shaped Head?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in skull reshaping. I am a 25 year old male that has  suffered from an odd shaped head. Its wide on the sides and irregular shaped on top. For years I’ve had a great insecurity every time I looked in the mirror. I have tried many different hairstyles to hide my head shape but none work for very long. I just feel like its the only part of me thats incomplete and if i have it fixed i will be so much happier and confident. I am determined to have it fixed even if i have to do it myself. I have attached a few pictures of my head.

A: What your pictures show is that the shape of your head is due to a minor variant of sagittal craniosynostosis. This is why the shape of your head has a sagittal ridge or crest from front to back and is a little elongated. Accompanying this is a parasagittal deficiency, which with the sagittal crest, gives your head a peaked or more triangular shape. The typical skull reshaping strategy is to burr as much of the sagittal crest as possible and buildup the sides to create a less peaked and more rounded skull shape.

While this is surgically possible, and a major improvement can be obtained, this has to be done through an ear to ear scalp incision. This must always be considered careful in any man who shaves his head.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana