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Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

This operation is done to correct protruding ears. It is one of the few cosmetic operations performed on children. Although the operation is done on both men and women, it has great appeal for men, because many of them wear their hair short and cannot conceal the ear deformity. Children may be candidates for an otoplasty after the ears have grown. This usually occurs after about 6 years of age. Irvine, Orange County and Newport Beach otoplasty candidates can find out more about ear surgery by requesting a complimentary surgical consultation with Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Smith. You can call our Irvine cosmetic surgery office at 949.450.2755 or contact us in Corona at 951.734.2500. If you would prefer, send us an email with your otoplasty (ear reshaping) questions.

The Surgery

The method of surgery is to weaken the cartilage of the ear so that it bends into its new shape. At the same time stitches are placed in the cartilage to hold the ear in position until the new shape has formed. The incision is placed in the natural creases behind the ear. Some patients also have an excess amount of ear cartilage which needs to be shaped. This may require an incision in the crease inside the ear. The operation is done under either local anesthetic with sedation (you are awake) or general anesthetic (you are asleep). You can choose. Most of the time this is an outpatient operation and a stay in the hospital is not needed.

Postoperative Care

The recovery takes one to two weeks. A dressing will remain in place for the first few days after surgery to help hold the ear in place and prevent swelling. Sleeping you're your head elevated is recommended for the first several days after surgery. The dressing will be removed at your first office visit and usually only a headband will be required at night after that. Most people are back to work within a week or two. It can take some time for swelling to decrease and for the final result to be seen.

Problems

All operations have some risk. The risks of surgery are divided into two groups. First those that can be seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problems which are special for this operation are an abnormal reaction to the stitches and recurrence of the problem.

For those living in Riverside, Irvine, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, ear surgery questions can be answered by Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Smith. You can easily schedule your free surgical consultation by calling our Irvine cosmetic surgery office at 949.450.2755 or 951.734.2500 in Corona or, if you prefer, you can send us an email containing your otoplasty questions.