Is There A Safe Method For Frontal Bossing Reduction?

Q: Dr. Eppley, is there a safe surgical method to correct frontal bossing of the forehead?  I have read online on some medical websites that there is no surgical fix but on Dr. Eppley’s website I noticed there were a few photos.  My son is 21 and is experiencing some hair loss already in his hairline which exposes his forehead more and we are looking at hair transplant surgery which may help, however I wondered if there was a surgical repair that could safely be done and what that may entail.  Thank you for any information you can provide.

A:Bony forehead reduction (frontal bossing reduction)can be performed in anyone. The question is not whether the forehead bossing can be reduced but by how much and whether that amount would be satisfactory to the patient. That I can not tell you without seeing pictures of the forehead in profile and ultimately a side x-ray of the forehead to measure the bone thickness of the outer cortical table. Like any type of skull reductions there are limits as to how much bone can be safely removed. So whatever amount can be removed, even if it falls short of the patient’s ideal goal, is the result a patient has to accept. Thus it becomes important to have a good idea before surgery as to what can be achieved.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana