Ear Reshaping
(Otoplasty)

Ears that protrude can be a constant embarrassment for many sufferers, who are often the subject of much teasing from early school years onwards.

Men and women who consider having surgery to rectify sticking out ears have usually tried every trick imaginable to attempt to disguise their problem. Some hairstyles can help to hide protruding ears, or lessen the effect, but this sometimes means sporting a style that is not the current fashion. For men who go on to lose their hair, or who have to wear their hair short and cropped for whatever reason, their ears cannot be hidden away, which can make them very self-conscious.

For women, the problem can be just as distressing. Long hairstyles are usually the most effective when trying to cover up a large, jutting out ear, but variations on the style, such as ponytails and pinning up the hair for more glamorous occasions, tend to be out of the question.

For those affected by the problem of sticking out ears, ear reshaping surgery, otherwise known as an Otoplasty, can provide a quick and permanent solution. By reshaping the flexible cartilage behind the ear a surgeon is able to manoeuvre it so it lies closer to the head, where it is stitched into place in its new position.

During surgery, the area around the ear is fully anaesthetised. As the surgeon works from behind the head, there will be nothing for the patient to feel or see during the operation, and once complete there will be absolutely no outward evidence that surgery has even taken place.

The reshaping of the ear’s flexible cartilage can be achieved in a couple of ways, although the basic principal of an Otoplasty is the same. In one method the surgeon will excise a ‘V’ shaped piece of the cartilage before moving the ear closer to the side of the head and suturing the two edges together in their new position.

Another Otoplasty technique is known as accordion pleating. Rather than removing a section of cartilage, this method involves scoring the cartilage vertically and dividing it into many pleats, which when folded allows the ear to be repositioned flatter to the head, where it is sutured into place.

In some instances, patients with protruding ears are also conscious of the size of their ear. Although an Otoplasty cannot change the size of an ear, a big ear is definitely less evident when it contours the shape of the head rather than sticking straight out.

An extensive choice of hairstyle is not the only benefit for patients undergoing an Otoplasty operation. Problems affecting the head or facial features, which cannot be hidden under clothing, are usually the most disturbing in terms of self-esteem. For such people, enhancement following this surgery comes twofold – in both looks and character confidence.

Post Operative Recovery
An Otoplasty is normally carried out as a day case procedure under a local anaesthetic with sedation. Sutures (stitches) are usually removed after 7 – 10 days, if not dissolvable. Following surgery a pressure bandage will be applied, which helps hold the ears against the head during the healing period. This bandage is kept on for a period of approximately seven days, but it should be re-applied each night before going to bed for a further period of two or three weeks, as instructed by the surgeon, and removed each morning.