Patients with large or uneven ears may feel embarrassed and insecure about their appearance. Otoplasty, also known as ear surgery, is a safe, low-risk procedure aimed at correcting, reshaping, and improving the size and position of the ears. At Imagos Institute of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Onelio Garcia can help you feel beautiful and confident through ear surgery.
Patients with overly large ears often suffer from a condition known as macrotia. Teenagers born with large or protruding ears are among the most common patients to undergo ear surgery. At Imagos Plastic Surgery, this type of surgery is performed on candidates who are over 16 years old. Please consult a plastic surgeon who works with younger children if you are under 16 years old.
Many men and women undergo otoplasty because they are unsatisfied or embarrassed with the size, protrusion, position, or disproportionate nature of their ears. Patients who exhibit overly prominent ears often lack typical cartilage and support, making the fold of the ears look odd or causing the ears to stick out from the head. Other patients may take issue with the placement of their ears or the shape of their earlobes.
Patients with misshapen ears as a result of having suffered a severe injury can benefit from ear surgery. Ear damage can happen from falling, car accidents, sport-related injuries, or other forceful hits to the head that can cause severe bruising or cauliflower ears. Cauliflower ears commonly occur from sport-related injuries that block blood from flowing to the cartilage of the outer ear, resulting in misshapen or bulbous ears.
You will be given general or local anesthesia with intravenous sedation before your procedure based on the amount of correction needed.
Once the anesthesia is induced, a small incision will be made on the posterior crease of the ear.
Many times, a small strip of skin is excised from behind the ear. If normal folds are missing from the ears, they can be recreated by molding the cartilage with permanent sutures. Sutures are also responsible for mobilizing the entire ear closer to the head.
Otoplasty is performed on an outpatient basis, and you will be able to return home after your surgery. Patients will be given a compressive head dressing they must keep on for five to seven days. When sleeping, make sure you lie with your head upright. Depending on how you are feeling, you will be able to return to work or school between seven and 10 days after the procedure. Excessive workouts and activities are prohibited for at least four weeks.
Your ear surgery will give you more aesthetically shaped and proportioned ears with long-lasting results.
It is normal to experience a moderate amount of pain, bruising, and swelling following your surgery, but pain medication will be prescribed to alleviate discomfort. Bruising and swelling will subside after four weeks.
Dr. Garcia will be happy to provide you with an accurate estimate of the cost of your ear surgery during your consultation. For more severe ear complications, your procedure may require additional costs.
If you are an active smoker, this can affect the tissues in your body and complicate your recovery time. You will be asked to cease smoking for two to three weeks before your procedure.
Ear surgery can take between one and three hours depending on the patient’s desired results.
Complications such as hypertrophic scars, sensory nerve dysfunction, hematoma, infection, distortion, visible folding of the ear cartilage, recurrence of ear prominence, and loss of tissue may occur.
If you’re not sure which procedure you need, let us help by providing additional information and answers to your questions. Schedule a consultation so our doctors can meet with you to discuss your needs, desired results and how to refresh or transform your appearance with an Otoplasty procedure.