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Home | Face | Otoplasty

Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

Some children and even adults struggle with having large, protruding ears, which can be the source of embarrassment. For those who are looking for a solution to correct these concerns, Newport Beach and Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Smith can perform ear surgery (otoplasty). While ear surgery can be performed on both men and women, it has great appeal for men, because many of them wear their hair short and cannot conceal the ears. Children may be candidates for an otoplasty after the ears have grown, which is usually after about 6 years of age. No matter your age, Dr. Smith will work with you to achieve your goals.

Irvine and Orange County otoplasty candidates can find out more about ear surgery when you request a FREE surgical consultation with Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Smith. You can also call our Irvine or Corona cosmetic surgery office at 949.653.7000 .

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• Facelift
• Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty)
• Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
• Brow Lift
• Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
• Neck Lift

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 request a FREE surgical consultation online or call our Irvine or Corona cosmetic surgery office at 949.653.7000 . If you prefer, you can send us an email containing your otoplasty questions.