Can I Get A Forehead Augmentation With My Own Bone?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 20 year old male and am interested in forehead augmentation. I have a protruding occipital bone and a slightly sloped forehead. I would like to get my occipital bone reduced, and then have the bone transferred to my forehead to make it more vertical. I reckon my own bone would be a better and safer material for forehead augmentation than a foreign substance like methylmethacrylate. Is this possible? I have heard wonderful things about your expertise, and I am willing to fly all the way to the United States from Australia to get the procedure done.

A: In regards to forehead augmentation, your concept of transferring bone from the back of your head to the forehead seems logical but unfortunately will not work for many different reasons. There would not be enough bone, it would have the wrong shape and part or all of it would be resorted. The safer, easier and highly predictable option are a variety of synthetic materials that maintain their shape, can be precisely shaped, and will not ever change shape after surgery. Options include PMMA, HA or a custom silicone implant, each either own unique advantages and disadvantages.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana