Otoplasty Surgery before and after photos

Otoplasty Surgery
Cosmetic ear surgery is probably not the most common surgery done in most Facial Plastic Surgery offices. But otoplasty can make some of the most significant differences in how people live the rest of their lives. Most congenital ear malformations occur causing small shape changes in the ear, which have the net effect of making the ears protrude from the side of the head. Until children reach the age of five or six when they come in contact with other kids their age it is not a problem. Peer pressure can be devastating to self esteem and self image of developing children. For this reason we prefer to do otoplasties at an age when children are mature enough to understand that their ears are different and want the surgery yet young enough that they haven't been subjected to a lifetime of peer pressure. Otoplasty can be done at any age, however. For very small changes in the ear particularly just the shape of the top of the ear, otoplasty can be done without making any incisions. The technique is like building a ship in a bottle. This can only be done for patients who need minor corrections of small portions if the ear. When the top of the ear protrudes and the mid portion of the ear protrudes, the ears need to be reshaped and set back both. To do this an incision is made behind the ear, which is hidden. The cartilage is bent and shaped with sutures and sutured to keep it closer to the side of the head. The shape is carefully designed to match the opposing side and to have a natural appearance.

Procedure information - Otoplasty
In adults or in children who are mature enough the procedure can be done under local. Numbing cream can be placed behind the ears an hour before surgery and then using local anesthetic the ears are numbed. The work can then be done while the patient is awake but comfortable and listening to music of their choice. The most common area to be fixed is recreating the fold in the mid to top portion of the ear. This is created by multiple sutures, which are placed underneath the skin, hold it in the correct position. We don't remove a lot of skin or cartilage in order to help preserve the shape of the ear and keep it natural appearing for the child's lifetime. The incision is closed with a few stitches behind the ear and a dressing is placed.

Post-Op - Otoplasty
Following surgery the dressing is left on overnight and the patient comes in the following morning to have the dressing changed. Pain medication is given if needed. We give an antibiotic to take to help prevent any infection. Most patients complain that it feels tight in the first few days to weeks after surgery. We like to keep a wrap on day and night, which the patient or the family can change for the first week and then we like the patient to wear a sweatband when they are comfortable in the daytime and a wrap at nighttime just to help take all the tension off the sutures. This also helps remind the patients not to pull at their ears when they are sleeping. There is some spring back that occurs with time when the cartilage is spared. This is natural and so we usually overcorrect slightly at the time if the initial surgery.