Everyone wants to feel attractive and confident. If you have ears that are too large or stick out, they might negatively impact your appearance and make you feel shy and awkward. Otoplasty is a safe procedure that is used to correct ear size and positioning problems in both children and adults.
At The Nikolov Center for Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, California, Dr. Nicholas Nikolov and his staff offer a variety of aesthetic services to help you look and also feel your best. From facelifts to breast implants, we offer high-quality professional services in a comfortable and supportive medical environment.
What Causes Protruding Ears?
If you have ears that stick out from the side of your head by more than ¾ inch (about 2 centimeters), then you have protruding ears. This is caused by a deformity that is present from the time a person is born. Although this condition doesn’t typically cause any problems with ear function, it can affect a person’s appearance, which can lead to teasing and problems with confidence, especially for children.
What Is Otoplasty?
Otoplasty is a type of surgery that is used to correct protruding ears. It is a safe procedure that re-aligns the ears with the head, creating a more typical ear placement.
Are You A Candidate For Otoplasty?
Otoplasty is typically recommended for children between the ages of 4 and 14 when the ears have fully formed. If children are younger, the cartilage in the ears is too weak and soft to have a successful surgery. Typically this surgery is performed before a child reaches the age of seven when teasing increases.
It’s important not to push your child to have an otoplasty procedure. If your child wants to have the procedure, he or she will be much more engaged and cooperative during the surgery and recovery period, and it will all proceed much more smoothly.
The otoplasty procedure can also be performed on adults without any additional risks. A consultation with your doctor, along with a physical exam, helps him determine if this is the right surgery to help you or your child achieve better ear placement.
The Otoplasty Procedure
Dr. Nikolov determines the best location for the procedure, which may be in a hospital as an outpatient procedure, or in a surgical center. He ensures that you and your child understands what will happen in the procedure, and provides you with answers to any questions you might have before proceeding.
You or your child will have options for what type of anesthesia to have during the procedure. A local anesthetic will numb your ears, so you can be awake but not feel any discomfort. If you have a young child, general anesthesia might be the best option to keep the child calm during the surgery.
Dr. Nikolov then uses a series of small incisions, typically on the backside of your ear, to re-shape the positions of your ears. He will close the incisions with stitches, being very careful to minimize visible scars.
The incisions are covered with bandages to keep them clean. You need some time to heal, and Dr. Nikolov provides you with detailed instructions to follow to ensure that you can heal properly.
Although having overly large or protruding ears can cause you or your child to feel awkward or unattractive and lose confidence, otoplasty is a safe procedure that corrects ear positioning problems.
To learn more about otoplasty or any of our other aesthetic services, call our office or use our online appointment booking service.
