Otoplasty — What Is It And Why Should You Consider It?

Otoplasty – also known as ear surgery – is the surgical procedure that is performed to correct the outer structure of ear. There are various types of ear surgery and like reconstruction of deformities or replacement of missing ear framework. There are many reasons for having ear surgery – either for aesthetic enhancement or for correction of structural deformities. Here we will discuss what exactly the procedure is and why you should consider having it.

There are many reasons patients consider otoplasty and only your surgeon can help determine if ear surgery right option for you or not but here we will discuss some common reasons for undergoing otoplasty.

Common Reasons for Otoplasty:

For aesthetic improvement – there are many people in the world who have abnormal or prominent ears. They may appear distant from head, the angle may be distorted or ears may not be symmetrical. Otoplasty can effectively solve all these issues by making changes in the size and shape of ears.

To correct genetic distortion – people who have genetically distorted ears can also benefit from otoplasty. It is an ideal option to correct genetically large or small ears or ears with missing cartilage.

To restore normal appearance of ears affected by trauma – sometimes some injury, trauma or accident affects the appearance of ears. Otoplasty restores the natural appearance of ears and their functionality.

Candidates for Otoplasty:

Ear surgery is performed on people of all ages but it is more common in children. Those children who are above 5 with stable cartilage are good candidates for ear surgery. In adults, those who have realistic expectations with the procedure are ideal candidates for the surgery. In both the cases, patients should have good health without any life threatening ailment.

What is Otoplasty?

As mentioned above, otoplasty is the surgical procedure that is performed on ears and involves making changes in the shape and size of ears. It is invasive surgery and is usually performed under general anesthesia. The incisions are mostly made behind the ears but they can also be made in the folds of ears to make the scars invisible to naked eye. The goal of surgery is making ears appear more proportionate and natural looking. For this purpose, either part of cartilage is removed or a cartilage graft is added to it. For protruding ears, excessive skin is removed, cartilage is reshaped and finally ears are repositioned more closely to head.

Otoplasty has various types and each type is designed to resolve the specific issues associated with the shape and size of ears. Some types are ear reduction, ear pinning and ear reconstruction. Ear reduction is performed on large ears and ear reconstruction is suitable for distorted ears. Ear pining is performed on protruding ears.

In short, ear surgery is an effective cosmetic surgery procedure that can be performed for many reasons and it can address number of issues associated with the appearance of ears. If you are also interested in undergoing ear surgery then book an appointment for free consultation with our plastic surgeons.