What evidence is there that the human skull and face continue to grow
after adulthood is reached? What factors affect and contribute to such
development? Can plastic surgery or any other methods be employed to
increase the cranial and facial dimensions? Thanks in advance!

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Clarification of Question by seek_to_find-ga on 24 Mar 2005 06:43 PST

Here is some of the info I've found so far :- 


http://splweb.bwh.harvard.edu:8000/pages/papers/matsumae/age/age.html

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Clarification of Question by seek_to_find-ga on 24 Mar 2005 06:54 PST

Also:-

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july2001/milner.htm

http://www.icnr.com/craniojournal/cranialbonemobility.htm

http://qa.hopkins-aids.edu/forum/view_question.html?section_id=321&id=69664&category_id=808

http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-28821.html

http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-28821.html

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:4pH6YQQ1hvgJ:medical.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp/jmi/vol50/pdf/v50_n3-4_p117.pdf+adult+cranial+expansion&hl=en

http://www.erlanger.org/craniofacial/book/intro/history.htm

http://www.craniosacraltherapy.org/History_02.htm

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/medical/2004/may5/fusion.html

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Clarification of Question by seek_to_find-ga on 24 Mar 2005 08:03 PST

Time isn't super-crucial here, but breadth and depth of information *is* :)

Thanks to whoever's on the case - good luck!

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Clarification of Question by seek_to_find-ga on 26 Mar 2005 06:19 PST

Ah, I see the researcher who was on this jumped ship :) No hard
feelings, it's a tough one!

Alright, any brave soul picking up the gauntlet again gets a guarantee
of at least $25 in tippage if they serve up something great.

One of the biggest concerns for a "growing" skull size is Paget's
Disease.  It is characterized by changes in the normal mechanism of
bone formation. Bone is a living material made by the body through the
continual processes of formation and breakdown (resorption). If the
bones of the skull are affected by Paget's disease, enlargement of the
skull can occur and may result in a loss of hearing. When the long
bones in the legs are affected, they can become bent under the body's
weight because of their weakness. Little or no injury to a bone can
cause fractures in the weakened bones. Fractures that occur when no
traumatic injury is present are known as spontaneous fractures. For
more information, you can search "Paget's" keyword.

Another cause of skull and facial growth after adulthood is
"Acromegaly".  This is caused by excessive Human Growth Hormone in the
bloodstream of an adult.  Acromegaly causes thickening of the "brow
ridge" as well as thickened tongue, lips, and hands. (It also causes
heart weakening).

However, your question sounds like you WANT to increase your
skull/facial dimensions.  If this is the case, your safest, easiest,
most predictably reliable option would be plastic surgery.  "Simple"
prosthetics placed under the skin can give you nearly any facial or
skull shape/size you wish.

I hope this finally answers your question.

Didn't realise this one had any life left in it! 
 

Unfortunately, '"Simple" prosthetics' doesn't sound promising for the
kind of results the person concerned has in mind, as presumably this
wouldn't result in a *proportional* (ie overall) increase in growth. I
did Google for skull/face prosthetics to check, but didn't find any
useful leads...(mostly threw up results about Halloween masks!).

Many thanks for the input though drjerrydc. If you have any
suggestions for where I can find more relevant info then I'd be very
grateful.