Category: plastic surgery case study | skull reshaping

Plastic Surgery Case Study – Female Crown of the Head Augmentation with a Custom Skull Implant

Background: Aside from asymmetries and congenital skull deformities there are gender differences in the types of aesthetic skull augmentations that are requested. In my experience the back of the head is the #1 request for men while the crown of the skull is most commonly sought in women. One could argue that the lack of Read More…

Plastic Surgery Case Study – The Two Stage Approach to Large Custom Skull Implants for Female Crown of Head Augmentation

Background: In larger skull implant augmentations it is necessary to undergo a 1st stage scalp expansion. What defines a skull implant size that requires an initial scalp expansion depends on several factors, the most important of which is the scalp’s ability to stretch to accommodate the size of the implant underneath it. There is not Read More…

Plastic Surgery Case Study – Bilateral Parietal Eminence Skull Reduction in a Female

Background: The skull develops through numerous methods, one of which is ossification of certain bony eminences. (aka primary bone growth centers) One of these is the well known parietal eminence area which ultimately forms the large parietal bones of the skull. These quadrilateral-shaped skull bones located at the sides and posterior roof of the skull Read More…

Plastic Surgery Case Study – Custom Skull Implant for the Flat Back of the Head Augmentation in the Older Male

Background: The shape of the skull is a collection of largely convex surfaces that interface with each other. Fundamentally there are five such convex skull surfaces (front, top, back and two sides) that collectively create the aesthetic shape of the skull. While the degree of convexity varies on each surface anything less than some convexity Read More…

Plastic Surgery Case Study – Custom Two-Piece Skull Implant for Adult Scaphocephalic Head Shape Correction

Background: There are a variety of congenital head shape abnormalities that exist that are either commonly known or easily recognizable. While plagiocephaly is the most well known, scaphocephaly is the most recognizable…even if people do not know the actual name of the skull condition. Having a long front to back head length with a distinct Read More…

Cause of Unilateral Temporal-Eye Swelling and Bruising After Custom Skull Implant Surgery for Plagiocephaly

Custom skull implants are most commonly performed for flat areas of the back of the head. For flat spots in the back of the head the most common etiology is plagiocephaly, a unilateral or one-sided flat area on the back of the head. While plagiocephaly causes deformations of the entire shape of the skull (cranioscoliosis) Read More…

Plastic Surgery Case Study – Long Term Scalp Scar Outcome in Custom Skull Implant for Top of the Head Asymmetry

Background: Custom implants provide a reliable method of aesthetic skull augmentation based on their 3D preoperative design. But no matter how good an implant design is the final aesthetic result also depends on its proper placement and how well the scalp scar heals through which the implant is placed. Provided a good design and implant Read More…

1st Stage Scalp Expander Placement for Large Custom Skull Implants

Part of the success of aesthetic skull augmentation with custom implants depends on the stretch of the overlying scalp to accommodate it. While the scalp can be released and it has some natural ability to be elongated there are limits. Unlike using a bicoronal scalp incision (ear to ear) in which the extent of the Read More…

Technical Strategies – Secondary Fat Injections for Scalp Contouring after Custom Skull Implant Augmentation

Custom skull implants can make for some remarkable changes in the shape of the head. Besides being able to make a head augmentation change that is otherwise not possible by any other means one of the advantages of a custom implant design is to create a shape that blends into the surrounding skull in a Read More…

Plastic Surgery Case Study – Sagittal Crest Skull Reduction Using A Tunnel Technique

Background: The skull is composed of a number of plates of bone which are joined by sutures. These sutures allow the skull to grow with the underlying developing brain. Once brain growth is complete these sutures became stiffer and more fibrotic and even partially calcified. In adults the major suture lines are still seen of Read More…