When it comes to plastic surgery, the ears don’t get as much attention in the mainstream media. But, otoplasty (ear surgery) is among one of the most popular procedures performed in the United States. If your ears make you feel self-conscious or less confident than you’d like, you might be interested to learn more about otoplasty.
Who is a good candidate for otoplasty?
Otoplasty is the general term for all outer-ear surgeries so, if you have any of the following concerns, then you’re likely a good candidate for otoplasty:
- Your ears take attention away from your face due to their size
- Your earlobes are oddly-shaped and/or wide
- Your ears stick out too far from your head
- Your ears look uneven or asymmetrical
- Your ears are abnormally shaped due to an accident or genetics
- Your ears are done developing and you have one of the above concerns (usually after age 5)
What happens during the procedure?
In most cases, otoplasty is a straight-forward procedure. Your surgeon will make small incisions behind your ear then remove excess skin and cartilage to help reshape your ears then bring them closer to your head. If you want more work to be done, more tiny incisions will be made to accommodate that. Because all of these incisions are so small, scarring will be minimal and hard to see.
What is recovery like?
Recovery from otoplasty usually takes a couple of weeks for you to get back to your regular routine. Fortunately, your ears don’t typically show swelling or discoloration as prevalently as other areas of the body so the healing process shouldn’t be very obvious. Your pain should also be manageable through over-the-counter pain medication.
If your child is the one who is in recovery, it’s important to keep a close watch on them so they’re not bothering or fidgeting with their stitches. Do your best to ensure they don’t play too roughly while they’re healing.
Our experienced surgeons at The Plastic Surgery Group of Rochester would love to take care of your otoplasty procedure. If you’re ready to take the next step, schedule your consultation with us by calling (585) 922-5840 today.
