Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons

After an ear pinning procedure the San Diego plastic surgeon’s website that I found says this happens. “Following ear reshaping surgery in our San Diego office, patients are wrapped in dressing for one night and are allowed to return home.” I find this much more comforting than many other procedures because you get to go home. Some procedures require that you stay at the hospital overnight. With this you can heal happier in the comfort of your own bed.

“You may be a candidate for ear pinning (otoplasty) if you have ears that stick out too far from the side of the head. You may also want to have an otoplasty procedure if your ears have an unusual or undesirable shape.” These sound just like two of the reasons I have been giving my parents for the last 2 years. Maybe if I show them the Santa Monica plastic surgeon’s website where I found this information they will finally get me the otoplasty I have been wanting.

I’m planning on receiving an ear pinning procedure in the late summer but I’m very worried about possible complications. I found a Dallas plastic surgeon’s website with some reassuring information. It says, “Occasionally, patients develop an infection in the cartilage, which can cause scar tissue to form. Such infections are usually treated with antibiotics; rarely, surgery may be required to drain the infected area.”

Ear surgery is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. Ears are almost fully grown by age four, so the operation is done on children between ages of four and fourteen. Ear surgery is also possible in adults with fewer risks. You have to be clear about what and how you want your ear to be when you talk to the doctor.

Besides protruding ears, there are a variety of other ear problems that can be helped with surgery. These include: “lop ear,” when the tip seems to fold down and forward; “cupped ear,” which is usually a very small ear; and “shell ear,” when the curve in the outer rim, as well as the natural folds and creases, are missing. Surgery can also improve large or stretched earlobes, or lobes with large creases and wrinkles. Surgeons can even build new ears for those who were born without them or who lost them through injury.

The patients is usually up and around within a few hours of surgery. If you prefer you may stay overnight in the hospital until all the effects of general anesthesia wear off. To promote best molding and healing, the patient’s head is wrapped in a bulky bondage. The pain in the ear can be relived by medication. Within a few days the bulky bandage will be replaced by a lighter dressing similar to a headband. The dressing should be worn day and night stitches will be removed or will dissolve in about a week. For about a month, avoid any activity which will make your ear bend. Adults can go back o work five days. Children can go back to school after a week. Most patients are satisfied with the results of ear surgery.

The goal of treatment is to create pleasing, symmetrical ears which are well shaped and well positioned in relation to the head. Each patient requires an individualized treatment plan carefully designed to fit his or her specific needs. An otoplasty is designed to reshape the cartilage framework. This is done by a combination of creating new folds with permanent sutures, reducing excess cartilage and repositioning the whole ear complex closer to the side of the head. Incisions are usually placed in the groove behind the ear, thus making them well camouflaged.

The size and shape of the ear is dependent on the underlying cartilage. Cartilage is the rubbery, semi-rigid, substance the body uses to give various structures, such as the nose, their shape and flexibility. The ear cartilage is made up of a series of folds and cup-like structures, all of which contribute to its final shape. If a person is born with too much cupping or not enough folds, the ear will be forced away from the side of the head and give the appearance of protruding. Once one gains understanding of the problem, you can then understand the treatment. The surgical procedure to correct this problem is called an Otoplasty, but may be more commonly known as an “ear pinning” or “ear reshaping”.

Otoplasty (Cosmetic Ear Surgery) is a surgical procedure used to improve the appearance of protruding ears or to reduce the size of large ears. It can also help correct ear deformities such as “lop ear,” “cupped ear,” or “shell ear.” Otoplasty can be performed on children and adults, however children need to wait until the ears are almost fully grown. This usually occurs by the age of 4 or 5.

When cosmetic ear surgery is performed by a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Nevertheless, as with any operation, there are risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated with this procedure. A small percentage of patients may develop a blood clot on the ear. It may dissolve naturally or can be drawn out with a needle. Occasionally, patients develop an infection in the cartilage, which can cause scar tissue to form. Such infections are usually treated with antibiotics; rarely, surgery may be required to drain the infected area.

Ear pinning usually takes two or three hours, the technique depends on the problem. In one of the more common techniques, the surgeon makes a small incision in the back of the car to expose the car cartilage. Then the plastic surgeon will sculpt the cartilage and bend it back towards the head. The stitches which are non removable may be used to help maintain the new shape. Some times as large piece of the cartilage is removed to give a more natural looking fold, when the surgery is complete. In another technique, a similar incision is made in the back of the ear. Skin is removed and stitches are used to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without removing cartilage. The surgery will leave a faint sear in the back of the ear, which will fade with time.

Otoplasty is a relatively simple plastic surgery procedure, which removes excess cartilage and reshaped natural folds through incisions behind the ears. Sutures in the cartilage will secure the ears in the correct position from the patients head. It is important not to correct the position of the ears by excess skin removal, as this will create an unnatural connection of the ears to the scalp. The procedure takes approximately one to two hours. Mild pain medication is prescribed to treat any discomfort experienced following otoplasty surgery. A protective head band is worn post-operatively for a minimum of two weeks. Patients may return to most physical activities within a few weeks.

Ear pinning is most commonly performed on children between the ages of four and fourteen. Ear pinning on adults is possible as well and there are no additional risks associated on performing the procedure on adult patients. The procedure can help a child avoid teasing from peers because of protruding ears. Such factors may affect an individual’s confidence, leading them to seek their own ear pinning.

Otoplasty is a surgical process to reshape the ear. Some individuals are born with prominent ears while others may sustain injuries to the ear that may result in deformities. A variety of different techniques and approaches may be used to reshape congenital prominence of the ears or to restore damaged ears. Each individual seeking otoplasty is unique both in terms of the appearance of their ears and expectations for results following otoplasty surgery. The incisions used in this procedure may be placed in front of the ear, behind the ear or both in front & behind. This procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Surgery time is approximately 1 to 2 hours and recovery time is approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

You may choose to have ear surgery if your ears are prominent or you feel your ears are too large for your face. Ear surgery will enhance your appearance by setting prominent ears back closer to your head or reduce the size of large ears. Most patients, young and old alike, are thrilled with the results of ear surgery. If you are considering otoplasty for your child—keep in mind that ears usually reach adult size by the age of four or five.
I believe that ear surgery can save a person from years of torment, specifically children. Has anyone had this surgery performed on them and would like to share their story?

You may be a candidate for ear pinning (otoplasty) if you have ears that stick out too far from the side of the head. You may also want to have an otoplasty procedure if your ears have an unusual or undesirable shape. The goal is to create ears that have normal folds and shape with a normal level protrusion from the side of the head.

Otoplasty can save a person, specifically a child from years of torment and teasing. Has anyone had ear surgery performed on them and would like to share the story?

Ear surgery or otoplasty is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. Ears are almost fully grown by age four, so the operation is done on children between ages of four and fourteen. Ear surgery is also possible in adults with fewer risks. You have to be clear about what and how you want your ear to be when you talk to the doctor.

This surgery takes approximately one hour to perform. The technique used is typically an incision approximately 1 1/2 inches long in the crease behind the ear where the cartilage is exposed. The fold is re-created, if needed, and the cartilage is secured to the back of the head. Precise measurements are taken so both ears protrude from the side of the head approximately 12-15 mm after the otoplasty surgery. Both permanent and dissolvable sutures are used to help maintain the new shape of the ear. The dissolvable sutures fall out about a week after surgery.

Otoplasty cosmetic surgery, also referred to as ear shaping or ear pinning, can correct protruding or deformed ears. Many parents choose to have their children’s ears corrected at an early age, usually between four and 14, to prevent ridicule during adolescence. However, many adults also request otoplasty to correct misshapen or oversized ears.

Many children are born with ears that protrude to far from the head. This causes the “dumbo-ear” appearance and is often embarrassing and traumatic. The problem is corrected by a combination of stitching and reshaping the ear cartilage, to bring it closer to the head. Also known as “ear pinning,” it is a common cosmetic surgery for adults and children with protruding ears.

For the most part, the operation is done on children between the ages of four and 14. Ears are almost fully grown by age four, and the earlier the surgery, the less teasing and ridicule the child will have to endure. Ear surgery on adults is also possible, and there are generally no additional risks associated with ear surgery on an older patient.

You may be a candidate for ear pinning (otoplasty) if you have ears that stick out too far from the side of the head. You may also want to have an otoplasty procedure if your ears have an unusual or undesirable shape.

I find it interesting that most people that have an otoplasty performed are children. Has anyone older than 18 ever had one performed? What were the results like?

As is the case with many facial characteristics, the size and shape of one’s ears is most often a familial trait. Children with protruding ears, for example, will often see that same characteristic in their parents’ and grandparents’ ears. Surgical correction of this deformity can be performed with great success as early as the fourth year. By such time, the ear has reached almost adult size, so there will be little subsequent change.

Ear surgery, or otoplasty, is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears.

When ear surgery is performed by a qualified, experienced surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Nevertheless, as with any operation, there are risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated with this procedure.

Ear surgery or otoplasty is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. Ears are almost fully grown by age four, so the operation is done on children between ages of four and fourteen. Ear surgery is also possible in adults with fewer risks. You have to be clear about what and how you want your ear to be when you talk to the doctor.

I had no idea they could perform otoplasty at such a young age. I always thought plastic surgery was for adults.

Most patients, young and old alike, are thrilled with the results of ear surgery. But keep in mind, the goal is improvement, not perfection. Don’t expect both ears to match perfectly-perfect symmetry is both unlikely and unnatural in ears. If you’ve discussed the procedure and your expectations with the plastic surgeon before the operation, chances are, you’ll be quite pleased with the result.

When considering corrective ear surgery make sure to consult a board certified plastic surgeon.