Is Having A Scalp Expander for Skull Augmentation Noticeable?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Could you possibly explain what a scalp expansion would look like. When I review your patients that received a first stage scalp expansion, the process seemed to take months. Do most patients remain home for this process? Or is it not obvious to anyone? I’ve seen pictures of patients with tissue expanders and I am a little scared of the “bubble”-or expander. I wouldn’t mind this if I was able to conceal it, because the images I’ve seen are maybe exaggerated? I guess what would help me to consider this would be if I understood the scalp expansion stage to be a “concealable” process! 

A: 1) Scalp expansion is a 3 month process.

2) All scalp expander fills are done by the patient at home.

3) While scalp expansion for aesthetic skull augmentation does not stand out like the overfilled expansion needed for scalp reconstructions.,I would not say it is completely undetectable in its latter stages of the fill process.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon