What Does A Coronal Dip Skull Implant Look Like?

Q: Dr. Eppley,I am interested in the skull reshaping procedure and have a few follow-up questions:

– 1) What is the estimated size/position of the scarring for the parietal reduction (third image from previous email)? Is there a reference photo or another visual depiction I can look at to get an idea? Would it be something like an FUT hair transplant scar?

– 2) One concern I have about the sagittal reduction is what looks to me to be a “thin” area of skull along the crest at the top of the head (CT scan images attached to this email). Dr. Eppley mentioned this during the consultation, however I just wanted to call attention to it again. It seems like it could limit what can be done in that area and I want to keep my expectations realistic and be as safe as possible about the procedure.

– 3) As far as the frontal implant to address the “dip”, I would like to keep the current hairline location as much as possible and mostly address the contour to the top of the head. In other words, I would like to avoid the impression of a very elongated forehead from the front view. This isn’t something I noticed too much of in the photoshop images but just a point I wanted to raise.

– 4) Last, I noticed on your website that there are 3D-rendered images of the skull topology scans with and without the blue colored implants for some of the patient case examples. Can I can be sent an image like that once the implant is modeled to get a better understanding of the size, shape, and position of the implant itself? I would like to have as much information as possible. I have my own copy of the 3D scan disk and would like to compare the images.

A:In answer to your sagittal crest skull reshaping questions:

1) The pictures you have sent are not ideal to show the incision location for parietal skull reduction incision but  I have attached one of your pictures to try and show its location.

2) As you have noted in the CT scan and as was its purpose there are limits as to how much sagittal ridge reduction can be safely done.

3) The coronal dip skull implant would not affect the frontal hairline, it is simply not that big.

4) Implant designs are done through a third party, 3D Systems, who only create them once the process is initiated. However I can show you examples of your implant concept as seen in the attachments.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon