How Bad Is The Scarring From Sagittal Ridge Skull Reductions in a Bald Male Patient?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Hi there, I have a question about skull reshaping. I have a shaved head so I’m concerned about scarring. Is there a way to do this surgery without visible scarring on the scalp?

My head shape and hair style is very similar to this. Before I proceed, I just wondered if this is a realistic procedure for someone who keeps a shaved hair style or if it must leave large visible scars.

A: Sagittal ridge/crest reductions are one of the more commonly performed aesthetic skull reshaping procedures. The shaved head or bald male patient is the typical patient who presents for it. While no form of skull reshaping surgery can be without incisions and resultant scars the incision used in sagittal ridge reduction are very small and heal in a near imperceptible manner. No patient has ever stated the fine line scar bothers them or had requested a scar revision.