Ear Reshaping
Q:
My baby is 10 months old and his ears stick out very far. I know there is plastic surgery to correct this and I am thinking about having it done. Would he have a lot of pain after the surgery and do you think he is too young to have the type of procedure to correct this?
A:
“Ears that stick our very far” or prominent ears is a common problem in children. In general we like to delay surgical correction until the ear is nearly fully grown which occurs around 4 to 5 years of age. The procedure itself is done through an incision that is behind the ear and not easily seen. Bandages generally stay in place for 4 to 5 days. I often have the patient wear a tennis headband while sleeping, so the ear is not disrupted during the night. There is minimal to moderate pain in the immediate post -operative period and patient satisfaction is extremely high.
Q:
My husband, who is 42, has small ears but they stick out. He wears his hair so they are not so noticeable. I was wondering if there is a procedure to fix this and, if so, is he too old to have it done?
A:
Protruding ears is a common condition that can be corrected with plastic surgery. The procedure is called otoplasty. It is performed as an outpatient, under local anesthesia, through small incisions placed behind the ears. The outcome is consistently good, with very few complications or unfavorable results. Age is not a contraindication. Children often have their ears corrected when they are as young as 5 or 6 years of age, but adults also can benefit from the procedure.
Q:
I am interested in surgery in order to alter the shape and size of my ears. Is this possible?
A:
Plastic surgery can improve the shape or position of the ears. Most commonly, the ears are positioned closer to the head so that they do not protrude as much. Incisions are behind the ear to keep them concealed in a natural skin crease. Sometimes earlobe reduction is required to reduce the size of the earlobe. Torn (or split) earlobes can also be repaired under local anesthesia as an outpatient.
Q:
Is there any kind of cosmetic surgery that can pull back ears?
A:
You are asking about a procedure known as an otoplasty. The idea is to create a fold where one is missing, so that the ear can be brought into its correct position closer to the head. Some techniques depend on special manipulation of the ear cartilage so it will maintain the new curve. Other techniques depend on permanent cartilage sutures. I personally favor the former method, but I have seen excellent results with both methods. This outpatient procedure takes about 1-2 hours and can be done under either local or general anesthesia. There is little postoperative pain and recovery is 1-2 weeks.
Q:
Are there certain surgeons who specialize in children's procedures? We are thinking of having our son's ears done but want to find someone who is familiar with children's needs and the procedure as well as anesthesia. How do we find a person who specializes in this area?
A:
There is a subspecialty of pediatric plastic surgery in which some fully trained plastic surgeons have taken additional training. You may want to inquire about this. There are also a number of plastic surgeons that have special interest and expertise in treating pediatric patients and their related plastic surgery problems.
On the other hand, I can reassure you that this is a very standard and routine operation performed well by virtually every board-certified ASAPS-Member plastic surgeon. What I would confirm initially is that your plastic surgeon performs this operation and likes to treat children. Then I would meet with the surgeon and find our what type of operation and techniques are recommended and why. Take your son or daughter with you to meet the surgeon, so that you can see how the doctor relates to your child.
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