Ear deformities are typically inherited. In fact, it has been observed that 59 percent of affected individuals have a family history of protruding or prominent ears.
An ear looks prominent or deformed primarily due to two reasons:
- Underdevelopment of the antihelix
- Overdevelopment of the concha
If the ear lacks a proper antihelix, the outer edge of the ear does not fold in toward the head, and sticks out instead. Also, if the concha is enlarged, the ear sticks out farther from the head than what is deemed normal. Such deformities can be noted in a child untill he/she reaches the age of 5 or 6 as human ears become fully mature by this age.
If a child is impacted by an ear deformity, an otoplasty or ear plastic surgery is advised to treat the problem in its earliest stage. Cosmetic deformities can result in severe emotional and behavioral problems. Self consciousness and ridicule by peers can be very disturbing for the child as also his/her parents. This is why ear plastic surgery is suggested at the age of 5 or 6. It is the safest cosmetic surgery for a child and board certified surgeons use best plastic surgery procedures for an effective treatment of deformed ears.
It must be mentioned that ear plastic surgery is done purely for cosmetic reasons and does not impact the hearing power of ears. It is not a treatment for hearing impairment. The parents of affected children should discuss all their expectations from the surgery with their board-certified plastic surgeon for cosmetic surgery in Orlando.
An otoplasty can also be performed on adults under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. However a young child undergoing any cosmetic surgery needs to be given a safe dose of general anesthesia as kids are unlikely to remain still during a medical treatment.
The surgery is started by making an incision behind the ear. The cartilage is reshaped with sutures to hold the reformed shape and sometimes a piece of cartilage may be removed. Ears are positioned closer to head and sutures are used to close the incision. A dressing is placed over the ears. The child may feel some pain after recovering from anesthesia, but safe painkillers are prescribed by the surgeon. Recovery from otoplasty takes 10-15 days and results are shapely and cosmetically superior looking ears.
Got more questions about ear plastic surgery in Orlando? Come meet with our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. George Pope. He has practiced in Orlando for more than 23 years and has performed numerous otoplasty procedures on both children and adults alike.
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