Plastic surgery to fill uneven shapes in bone?
October 16, 2018 6:23 AM   Subscribe

I want to know if this is a reasonable cosmetic / plastic surgery request.

I have a significant dent in my skull, which is most likely caused by forcep damage. They grabbed me a little too hard with the salad tongs on my way out, I guess. Anyway, skull dent on one side. I've had a CT scan within the past few years and good news is there's nothing stupid or bad happening to the brain underneath so that's great.

I'm a man, though, and slowly going bald. I used to shave my head for fun when I was in my teens and I embraced the weirdness of the head dent. Now that it's not a choice I'm far less interested in showing it off.

Can I go to a plastic surgeon (or cosmetic surgeon (whatever that difference may be)) and have them just squirt some silicone caulk up in there and hold it in shape until it cures? Some Bondo maybe? What's the procedure for something like this, if this is something that people have done before? Can I just stroll up to the office of my nearest body shop and be like "yo doc fix this" or will I have to look up a head-shaping specialist?

bonus question: do you think they'd want to see the CT scan for themselves and also not order me to get a new one done because honestly I can't see any of this being covered by my insurance and I'd rather not pay for a new scan if I don't have to.
posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (4 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Depends on the placement of the dent and whatever is around it, but only a qualified dermatologist or cosmetic plastic surgeon could assess it properly.

There are different types of dermal fillers intended for different purposes/areas, and some are stiffer than others - I would think that is what would be needed to reshape an area of the scalp, but I'm not a doctor and I can't say for sure.

RealSelf reviews and questions do seem to indicate that this is possible, depending on the area.

Dermal fillers also aren't permanent and would need to be periodically reinjected to keep it looking the same.
posted by rachaelfaith at 6:36 AM on October 16, 2018 [1 favorite]


I'm guessing this wouldn't be done by injecting some moldable filler, but rather by constructing a solid piece and cementing it into the dent area.

I can totally see why this might be something you'd want to do. Not that this is necessarily something you need to do either. But certainly it doesn't sound frivolous. If it's meaningful to you, you should set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon.
posted by slkinsey at 7:56 AM on October 16, 2018 [1 favorite]


I imagine you could get a hyalauronic dermal filler injected temporarily to see how you like the results (Branded examples are Juvederm and Restylane. These fillers are readily available everywhere from med spas through derms through plastic surgery clinics and usually cost around $300-400 per vial. They last 6 months to 2 years. I would not go to a med spa for this).

If you like the results, I imagine your options would either be a) a permanent filler like collagen injection or fat grafting (this is where they use liposuction to remove fat from one area and then inject the harvested fat elsewhere. In theory it's permanent, but there is no way to know how many fat cells will survive and "latch on" so it's actually harder to control shape than with something man-made) or b) a custom artificial implant, along the lines of a chin or nose implant.

If the dent is very large and deep, ordinary dermal fillers can probably make it more shallow, but not hide it altogether. I'd suspect it's a more challenging area to work with because there is so little flesh on the top of your head and what is there has little "give". However, this also means that the fillers would probably last much longer than they do when placed in areas with more movement like lips or cheeks.

If I were you, I'd book appointments at multiple well-rated cosmetic surgery clinics for consultations. Write down their suggestions for both temporary and permanent solutions, including brand names if they suggest fillers and ask why they suggest that particular filler. Write that down too, and write down approximate costs. Don't commit to anything at the consultations. Do not let them immediately take you in for injections after the consult, even if it's free, which some might try.

After you have this information from several places, I'd do some research online to compare what they are telling you to the info that's out there. (Some cosmetic clinics will try to push you particular filler brands or services for their own motives... This is why you don't want to commit right away).

You can also post a picture and ask for advice from plastic surgeons at realself. It's a great resource for cosmetic procedure research.

Good luck!
posted by windykites at 9:06 AM on October 16, 2018 [4 favorites]


That part of your head is just skin over bone, putting soft filler in there won't have the effect you want. What you are looking for is a rigid cranial implant attached to the skull to fill the dent. Google "skull implant" and you will get a lof of relevant results. Looks like this is a solved problem and people know how to fic it.
posted by w0mbat at 11:11 AM on October 16, 2018


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