Otoplasty / Ear Surgery
Otoplasty is the technical term for ear surgery or ear pinning. It involves the repositioning or reshaping of unusual or protruding ears. It is often performed on children to combat bullying at school, but can also be performed on adults. It can also refer to the procedure where reshaping is required due to oversized earring holes, or complete redesign of the ear due to trauma or cancer.
Protruding or oversized ears can be the cause of great distress and lowered self esteem in the patient. Ear pinning or ear surgery is able to create more proportional, symmetrical and attractive ears for the patient.
While ear surgery can be performed on children as young as 2 while their ear cartilage is more flexible and able to be manipulated into shape, it is more common in children from age 4 and up as it can be a little tricky getting a 2 year old to follow aftercare instructions for the procedure. The motivation for parents to have their children undergo the procedure is usually to avoid embarrassment and unwanted attention once they start going to school, but they may also wait until the child is about to attend high school. It really is an individual decision and Dr Bill Lyon is always happy to consult with patients, or parents, to discuss what might be best for the individual patient.
Ear surgery is also helpful for older patients who may not have bothered with the procedure in their youth but as their hairline recedes they can no longer hide their ears so are finally ready to undergo the procedure.
The incisions for ear surgery are usually made behind the ear and so the scarring is barely visible once healed. Ear surgery can be done as a day procedure but can also require an overnight stay depending on the patient and the procedure. It usually involves a bandage being wrapped around the ears and head for up to one week after the procedure however you may still be asked to wear a headband at night for another few weeks after that.
Otoplasty or ear surgery can completely transform a patient’s’ life to give them more confidence.