Refine your ears and improve their appearance
Refine your ears to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing balance with your facial features. Otoplasty (ear surgery) can reduce oversized ears, pin back protruding ears, improve ear deformities, and restore damaged earlobes. Safely performed even on young children, otoplasty can permanently improve ear appearance and often has a profound effect on self-image and social perception.
Individuals as young as 4 or 5 years old may be candidates for otoplasty. Most candidates seek to improve the appearance and/or balance of their ears with their head and face. Candidates may have overly large ears, protruding ears, congenital ear deformities, or ear injuries (such as a torn earlobe). Individuals with chronic ear infections may not be good candidates.
Otoplasty is a highly specialized procedure. Depending on the correction desired, the procedure will typically involve manipulation of the ear cartilage to normalize the appearance. This may include removal of excess cartilage, reshaping the cartilage, and/or resealing torn or damaged ear lobes. Where necessary, a cartilage graft may be used.
You should be in good health prior to undergoing this surgery. If you are receiving treatment for any chronic health conditions, you will need to request clearance from your primary care physician. You may also need to get an EKG and basic blood work to evaluate your health in anticipation of a successful procedure and healthy recovery.
Children can usually return to school one week after ear surgery, and most adults can return to work after about 5 days. Pain medication is rarely needed after the first few days of recovery. A soft band or dressing must be worn over the ears for as long as instructed (this varies per patient) to facilitate healing and stabilize the ear cartilage. Patients should avoid sleeping on their sides, elevating the heart rate, and participating in contact sports for up to 6 weeks.
Children as young as 4 or 5 can safely undergo otoplasty to improve ear appearance.
If children are candidates for ear surgery, often it is best to undergo surgery sooner rather than later because children’s ear cartilage is softer and more pliable, and therefore easier to manipulate and reshape. Performing otoplasty on children can also save them from experiencing social ridicule and improve self-confidence and social perception during their formative years. Adults seeking otoplasty can achieve good results but should understand that only moderate correction will be possible because ear cartilage is much firmer in adulthood. Individuals of virtually any age can undergo ear surgery to repair a torn earlobe.
Otoplasty can minimize overly large ears to improve the balance between ear size, head size, and facial features.
Otoplasty can remove excess cartilage from behind the ears to pin back protruding ears.
Prominent ears can be genetic. Parents who pass on this trait may wish to pursue otoplasty for their young children to save them from enduring possible teasing during childhood development.
Ear surgery only manipulates the outer ear cartilage and does not affect hearing.
The incisions for ear surgery are usually hidden behind the ears or within the natural ear folds. Most patients will not have any visible scars after otoplasty.
The results of otoplasty are permanent. Avoiding ear contact for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery helps the tissues to heal fully without risking damage to the results.
Stephenie Poris, MD sees patients at both the Orlando and Winter Park offices.
