To Reduce A Wide Head Does Both Muscle And Bone Need To Be Reduced?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to tell you about a problem with my head shape. It is a condition that I have noticed since my childhood. I have a problem with my head looking too wide from the sides. My father has the same problem. He also has a wide head when viewed from the front, but the back of his head is flat and curved, but mine is normal. Is this because the skull bone is too wide or the temporal muscles are too big? Could it be because both are too wide? Because when I clench my jaw, my head expands quite a bit, and when I open it, it becomes quite thin. Is there a solution to this problem? If so, what is the solution?

A: In the wide head both the bone and muscle are at fault. But on a practical basis it is the muscle removal that offers the greatest benefit in reduction and can be done in a scarless manner from an incision in the crease of the back of the ear.

You also have demonstrated the value of the posterior temporal muscle removed  and anterior temporal muscle release by your mouth opening manuever.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon