Having ears that are disproportionate to the head, or misshapen, can be a big source of self-consciousness for some. In some cases, it can also affect your ability to hear correctly. If you’re unhappy with how your ears look, ear correction surgery, or otoplasty, can help drastically improve the overall look of your ears. It’s a relatively safe and common procedure. In this blog we’ll discuss what issues an otoplasty can help resolve, as well as what the procedure entails, and what recovery is like.
Why get an otoplasty?
For those that are self conscious about the look of their ears, an otoplasty can help you regain confidence. Otoplasty is often done for ears that stick out far away from the head. Otoplasty can also be done to change the size of the ears. Some have ears that appear disproportionately large compared to the rest of the head. A reduction can help. Others have ears that are very small for their head. An augmentation procedure can help make them bigger. Finally, some have ear abnormalities either from birth or due to an accident or other injury. Otoplasty can help reshape the affected ear(s) to look as close as possible in appearance to the anatomy of the typical ear.
Procedure details
An otoplasty procedure is an outpatient surgical procedure that can be done under general or local anesthesia, in a surgical center or the surgeon’s office. The procedure length depends on how much work is required and whether one or both ears are being operated on, but in general lasts a couple hours. You will need someone to drive you home.
Recovery
You will be given prescription painkillers, as well as antibiotics to prevent infection. When you get home, relax in a reclining position with several pillows under you to keep your head elevated above your heart. You will have bandages covering your ears. These will stay on until your doctor removes them. Your doctor will give you aftercare instructions for after he or she removes the dressings. You will need to wear a headband for two weeks to prevent the ears from stretching out.
If you’re considering an otoplasty, know that this procedure is safe and effective in both adults and children (above the age of 5). Dr. Edmund Fisher is highly experienced in performing otoplasties. Contact us today for more information!
