What Is The Best Approach To Treating My Plagiocephaly?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I just wanted to reach out as I’m looking for more information regarding plagiocephaly. I think I suffer from it as one side of my head is misshaped quite noticeably on one side, my ear is also lower and my jaw is misaligned too. My left eye is much more stuck out than the right and altogether It’s really effecting my mental health as when I am out on a day to day basis people stare or laugh and it’s damaging my confidence massively. I would like to see if theirs any way I can I can help fix this asymmetry? And if so what sort of price would something like that be? Hopefully you see this message I would love to hear back. Thank you.

My skull is basically twisted to the right including my facial features, my left ear is lower than the right one, my left eye protrudes out more than the right one, my lower jaw shifts to the right and my forehead sticks out more on the right side of my head.

A:Every skull and facial abnormality that you describe is consistent with plagiocephaly. In treating plagiocephaly you have to make a list of all abnormal features that you see and then PRIORITIZE them from the most important to improve to the least important to try and change. Working off of that list then establishes the surgical plan and how to proceed. Some of these feature changes have high success rates of improvement (e.g., skull flattening) while others may not be changeable at all. (ear position) Generally most plagiocephaly patients rate the flattening on the back of the head as the #1 priority.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon