Skull Reduction

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m interested in having a large skull reduction done, running from all the way back to midfront and all between the temporal lines. I know that this sd a rather large area. How long time does it take before the final result is apparent? I guess that depends on how much bone thickness is removed? And is it possible to harm the result in the recovery phase by being hit or bumping the head? I occasionally play contact sports, and work as a laborer.

A: Regardless of the skull surface area involved, it takes a full three months to see the absolute final result from a skull reduction procedure. Generally about 50% is apparent by 3 weeks after surgery and 80% is apparent by 6 weeks after surgery. But it takes a full three months for the last bits of swelling to goal away and the scalp tissues to shrink back down. As a skull reduction only removes the outer cortical layer, there is plenty of inner cortical bone left for support. Thus this does not place your skull at any increased risk of injury from light or occasional trauma events…and probably not even from more severe impacts as well.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana