Considering Otoplasty For Your Child?

Kids are professionals at isolating anything different or new they see and calling it out, making fun of it, teasing and taunting it. For kids with ears that stick out from the sides of their heads or are predominately large, these teasing taunts can be more than cruel. They can be harmful and cause a negative sense of self which effects their self esteem for years to come, and even on into adulthood. Utah Facial Plastics surgeons have helped countless children, teens and adults alike in gaining confidence through Otoplasty.

The Right Age To Have Otoplasty Surgery

Otoplasty, more common known perhaps as ear pinning surgery, is a surgical procedure in which the ears are repositioned closer to the side of the head.  This surgery is ok to perform on most healthy children and the surgery generally takes around 2 hours to complete. Utah Facial Plastics will provide this surgery to children as young as 5 years old and up. Younger children are put under a light general anesthesia to make the surgery tolerable, safer, and quicker to perform. Older children and teens who are able to tolerate local injections and sitting still during the procedure, are able to be awake during surgery. This is a route to primarily save money and avoid general anesthesia.

Some ear concerns are often present at birth and can be addressed with non-surgical methods. Do not hesitate to discuss ear pinning without surgery with a pediatrician, as these treatments should be started soon after birth.

How Will I Know If Otoplasty Surgery Is Right For My Child?

Surgery is a big decision, especially when considering this option for a child. The main reasons children are brought in to discuss ear pinning surgery are:

  • The child has prominent ears that the parents or child feel should be addressed
  • The child is being teased or taunted because of their prominent ears
  • Otoplasty is easily addressed at a young age and can build self esteem

There is no right answer whether otoplasty surgery is right for you or your child. This decision is personal. Fortunately, this surgery is available and can be done if desired. Otoplasty surgery is elective and not medically necessary. If there is fear or anxiety surrounding the decision to have surgery, the individual can wait until they are ready. Otoplasty surgery can be done at any age.

How Does Ear Pinning Work

Ear surgery can be done to one or both ears. Incisions are made behind the ear and then the surgeon may remove some cartilage and skin, shaping the ear into a more desirable form. Permanent sutures are placed in the cartilage so that they heal in place. The skin is then sutured with removable sutures that are taken out after one week. A head wrap style dressing is placed and removed after 24 hours. A recommended otoplasty head band should be worn for one week to secure the ears in place as well as for protection. This head band can be removed to clean incisions.  The ears will be tender for weeks following surgery, as Otoplasty recovery is different for everyone. Scars are easily hidden as the incisions heal over time. Utah Facial Plastics doctors often see kids during the summer time as they want to heal from this procedure before returning back to school.

Otoplasty surgery is pretty strait forward and concerns may be easily managed with you and your child. The best way to determine if an Otoplasty procedure is right for you or your child is through a private consultation with our expert face specialists. Contact Utah Facial Plastics today to schedule a consultation about Salt Lake City Otoplasty.

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