Otoplasty, or ear pinning surgery, is a surgical procedure commonly done on children, adolescents, and adults to reshape the outer ear to correct either deformities or ears that protrude. Although ear pinning has been a common surgery, it is on the rise and it is due to the fact that individuals have been more hyper-focused on their ears, especially with ill-fitting masks pulling the ears forward.
Who is an Otoplasty Candidate?
An otoplasty candidate is anyone at least five years old or older who wants to correct overly prominent or protruding ears. This surgery is extremely common for just about every age group. The most common motivation for ear pinning is to have the ears esthetically pleasing in proportion of the face.
What to Expect During Surgery?
Ear pinning surgery is an outpatient surgery that is typically done under local anesthesia in our office. For younger patients who feel like they’d rather not be awake during the procedure are instead put under light sedation in our surgical center.
Once the individual is lightly sedated or completely numbed, the procedure begins and completed within 2 hours. Â All of the incisions that are necessary with an otoplasty are hidden behind the ears in the natural fold. During this surgery the cartilage is reshaped and repositioned to a more natural position. Once both ears are carefully addressed, a dressing is placed over each ear and the patient is ready to go home.
Otoplasty Benefits
- Permanently improves the position of the ears.
- Effective with a low complication rate
- Typically done as an in-office procedure
- Boost self-confidence
How Long is Recovery from Otoplasty Surgery?
Most otoplasty patients have reported that overall pain and discomfort is mild. Most feel like the toughest part of recovery is some disruption to their normal sleep especially for those who sleep on their sides.
Immediately after surgery the soft dressings are placed on the ears and should be removed after 24 hours. Each patient is given a headband to wear consistently for the first 5 days. After 5 days, they should wear the headband only at nighttime for an additional 7 days. This is an important step because it protects the ears and helps hold them in place during the recovery process. As mentioned above, there are incisions involved with this procedure, the sutures dissolve 1-2 weeks after surgery.
Otoplasty surgery is extremely rewarding for patients, and they instantly feel more confident about their appearance.
For more information about otoplasty surgery and to see more otoplasty before and after photos, please contact our Draper or Layton, Utah office at (801)776-2220.Â