5-Year-Old Ashamed of Scars From Skull Surgery–So Dad Gets ‘Lightning Bolt’ Haircut to Match
Image: Courtesy of Jonathan Tynes
Hunter Tynes was born with craniosytosis.
The CDC provides the following on the condition:
What is Craniosynostosis?
Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a baby’s skull join together too early. This happens before the baby’s brain is fully formed. As the baby’s brain grows, the skull can become more misshapen. The spaces between a typical baby’s skull bones are filled with flexible material and called sutures. These sutures allow the skull to grow as the baby’s brain grows. Around two years of age, a child’s skull bones begin to join together because the sutures become bone. When this occurs, the suture is said to “close.” In a baby with craniosynostosis, one or more of the sutures closes too early. This can limit or slow the growth of the baby’s brain.
When a suture closes and the skull bones join together too soon, the baby’s head will stop growing in only that part of the skull. In the other parts of the skull where the sutures have not joined together, the baby’s head will continue to grow. When that happens, the skull will have an abnormal shape, although the brain inside the skull has grown to its usual size. Sometimes, though, more than one suture closes too early. In these instances, the brain might not have enough room to grow to its usual size. This can lead to a build-up of pressure inside the skull.
The condition meant Hunter needed corrective reconstructive surgery at 21 months of age, which left significant scarring. The surgeons had to cut his son’s skull from ear to ear and reshape it. The doctors cut a zig-zag pattern across his skull, a pattern purposively chosen to help his hair grow back and eventually cover up the scar.
This choice only partially worked. The hair on the top of Hunter’s head grew back; however, the sides of his head had a scar similar to a lightening bolt. Hunter grew self conscious and felt the scar made him stand out.
The family referred to his scars as “lightning bolts,” and Tynes always told his son that they were “super cool,” and that he wished he was that cool.
Hunter then responded, saying, “If they are so cool then why don’t you get some lightning bolts?”
Johnathan Tynes did exactly that. He went to G’s Barbershop, in Pacific, and got replica lightning bolt scars shaved into his hair.
WAY TO GO DAD!!!