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Ear Surgery is the operation designed to pin the ears closer to
the head or lessen the appearance of larger than average ears.
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The normal ear lies at an angle of 15 o from the head and ears that stand out at a greater angle and may be considered to be prominent. Those who are unfortunate enough to have prominent ears (also known as ‘bat ears') frequently grow up with taunts and teases. Although long hair can cover the ears they become obvious in high winds or when the hair is wet.
In the newborn, ‘bat ears' may be corrected by gentle taping of the ears to the side of the head or the wearing of a ‘cradle cap'. If the problem remains uncorrected after infancy, correction may only be achieved by operation. The ears attain 80% of their final size by the age of 4 and it is quite safe to carry out the Ear Surgery procedure from that age onwards.
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Ears that appear to stick out or are overly large can be helped by ear surgery.
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Creating a fold in the cartilage makes the ear lie flatter against the head and appear more normal.
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When meeting your surgeon, he will ask for a general medical history and details of any previous ear surgery. Ear asymmetry is usual and will be pointed out at your consultation. It is due to the difference in size and shape of the ears, as well and as in the shape of the skull where the ears sit.
The surgeon will naturally aim for improving the symmetry as much as possible although it will never be perfect.
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Ear Surgery can be carried out under general anaesthetic (it is usually recommended for children) or local anaesthetic and may be carried out simultaneously with most other facial surgeries. The incisions are generally placed behind the ear. The cartilage of the ear is remodelled and on occasion, some of the cartilage may be removed.
There are several techniques used for correcting the shape of the ears, and the surgeon will discuss them with you during the consultation. During operations carried out under local anaesthetic, because the ones are placed in the crease behind the ears, it is possible for the patient to have a look in a small mirror and check that he or she is happy with the correction achieved. It is also possible to fine tune the degree of correction and the reshaping, in the top, central part of the ear or earlobe. The wound is then closed with absorbable sutures which will not require removal.
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An incision is made in the back of the ear so cartilage can be sculpted or folded.
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Stitches are used to close the incision and help maintain the new shape.
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After surgery the ears will be individually covered with a small dressing which is usually worn for one week. Following the surgery, it is advisable to wear a tennis headband for eight weeks at night and during any contact sports.
This is to prevent the ears from being pushed forward, during the stage when they are still settling. During the first week, the tennis headband will be worn on top of the ear dressings.
It is normal to feel moderate discomfort following Ear Surgery. There may still be some bruising and swelling on removal of the dressings but this will settle rapidly within a week or two and the improvement in the prominence of the ears will be apparent. Numbness is fairly common, but the ears will eventually return to normal. Mild infection is possible around the stitch line after surgery but this is usually resolved quite quickly.
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In most cases, ear surgery will leave a faint scar in the back of the ear that will fade with time.
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Creating a fold in the cartilage makes the ear lie flatter against the head and appear more normal.
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Particular care is taken during the operation to stop any bleeding from the small blood vessels divided during surgery. Occasionally a small blood vessel leaks post operatively causing bleeding and this may necessitate a return to the theatre. However, this situation is rare. In the two months following the surgery, the ears “set in” and will change shape by millimetre or two. It is relatively rare for more significant loss of correction, but if it happens it can be readily corrected under local anaesthetic.
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The correction of prominent ears is one of the most common and pleasing operations in aesthetic plastic surgery. The results of Ear Surgery are usually excellent and lasting giving the ears a natural appearance and the individual increased confidence.
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NEXT: More Information
If you would like to know more information on Ear Surgery,
please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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