American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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carissadole
4 months ago
Answered

forehead lump

I have this hard immovable forehead lump. Noticed it a few years ago and it keeps growing. It does not hurt. Feels like a knob growing out of my skull. Is this something that can be shaved off?

Procedure: General Reconstruction
Location: newport beach, CA

Replies 6

Aaron Stone
ASPS Surgeon

It is either a lipoma or an osteoma (less likely a sebaceous cyst). Lipomas and cysts can easily be removed under local anesthetic. Osteoma removal requires more anesthesia and a bigger incision.

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Rozbeh Torabi
ASPS Surgeon
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This could be multiple things imaging and physical exam would give you the best idea . It’s close to the hairline so could possibly take out through hairline incision

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Jaime Caloca Valenzuela
ASPS Int. Surgeon

From what you describe and from my experience it is most likely an osteoma (a skull bone growth). It can be easilly and literllay "chiseled out" in a simple surgery and in one step. I have removed many such lesions and the good news is that I have never seen one grow back. A horizontal scar is better placed exactly over the lesion. It becomes very inconspicuous in about a year and is much smaller than one on the hairline. Recovery is also much faster.

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Rahul Vemula
ASPS Surgeon
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Without examining you it is hard to say if this is an osteoma or a lipoma. Please visit a plastic surgeon for an examination. The surgeon will most likely order an imaging study as part of the surgical planning.

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Halil Ege Ozgentas
ASPS Int. Surgeon

Dear carissadole, if you send your frontal bone x-rays (front and side) the diagnosis can be made more easily.

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Norman Bakshandeh
ASPS Surgeon

Osteomas are very common in the skull. It can also be a subgaleal lipoma. Both are easy to remove

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