Does Skull Reduction Make It Prone To Fracture More Easily?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have seen that you offer skull reshaping. You said that the maximum that can be reduced is 5 to 7 mm. My question is, will that be enough to make a difference in someone who has a big head? I mean, a visual difference. Would it make a difference also when buying hats and sunglasses? I don’t expect a huge reduction, but I am just figuring out how much of a visual improvement I could expect. Lastly, if you take out the outer table of the skull, doesn’t it make it more susceptible to fractures? I would be scared to bump my head and injure my brain. Thanks

A: It many cases it can be surprising how much of a difference 5 to 7mms in skull reduction creates when done on a near circumferential manner. Given that the skull thickness ranges anywhere from 12 to 20mms depending upon the location, there is no danger of increased susceptibility to skull fracture after a burring reduction.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana