Ear Surgery (Otoplasty) Out
of all the physical characteristic of the human body, none
other stands out more than a pair of protruding ears. Children
usually suffer the burden of cruel nicknames all through school
and therefore, they are the most likely candidates for this
type of procedure. Adults, however, can also benefit from
this surgery, since it great improves
the general appearance of your face and can be utilized in
conjunction with other surgeries.
With
this cosmetic treatment, ear can be ‘pinned back’,
reduced in size, reshaped and made more symmetrical. This
operation has absolutely no effect upon the inner hearing
mechanism and can treat all kinds of conditions, such as lop
ears, cupped ears, shell ears and large, stretched earlobes.
Therefore, if you have been self-conscious about the way your
ears look, this procedure can be the solution for you.
Whenever you come to the decision
of submitting yourself to any type of plastic
surgery, you always need to keep in mind that no procedure
will be able to provide a ‘perfect’ aspect to
your body. The objective of a cosmetic
procedure is to achieve an enhancement in your features,
not to provide an ‘ideal’. This can help your
boost your self-confidence and assurance, making you feel
better with the way you look while at the same time keeping
realistic and down-to-earth expectations. This is one of the
core values we have here at BetterLooks; we want our clients
to be completely satisfied with the results of their surgery
and to heighten their self-esteem.
An ideal candidate for an otoplasty
procedure should always be in good health and should possess
a pair of ears that are in proportion to the size and shape
of the head and face (the key to a successful plastic
surgery). Also, he/she should be 5 years old or older
and should not present a history of scarring problems (eg:
keloids). Full ear growth must have been achieved before the
surgery can be performed.
If you decide to submit your child
to this surgery, you must always make sure that the child’s
best interests are at heart, since providing a positive outlook
towards the surgery is one of the most important factors when
it comes to adolescents and children. Discussing the issue
with your doctor is always favorable so that all the physical
and psychological aspects are taken into consideration.
You must keep in mind that when an
adult is submitted to an otoplasty (ear surgery), the cartilage
of the ears is not as soft since the ears have already developed
fully and the molding capacity lessens. Therefore, make sure
you consult with your plastic
surgeon first so that all the pros and cons are discussed
thoroughly.
The time for the procedure is also
key; having it performed at a young age is advantageous. In
contrast with an adult, a child’s cartilage is very
flexible and allows for greater reshaping. Also, when the
treatment is performed in the early stages of the patient’s
life, the psychological benefits increase tenfold.
By offering one of the best teams of doctors in the industry,
Better Looks is aware of the different types of needs our
diverse patients may have. Therefore, we will provide the
best service possible for you, not matter what you are looking
for, and we will aid you in every possible way in your pursuit
to enhance your appearance.
At Better Looks, it is protocol for
our clients to have an initial consultation with their plastic
surgeon before any procedure is performed. This way, both
the patient and the doctor have an equal opportunity to contribute
in the whole process and by doing so, the satisfaction of
the client increases tenfold. During this initial discussion,
you must not hesitate to talk about your expectation with
your surgeon openly, since he/she will help you determine
what is and what isn’t possible to achieve. One point
Better Looks always pinpoints on is the need for patients
to be aware of all the different aspects of the surgery you
are willing to undertake (the cost and recovery process);
everything must be made extremely clear for you and we will
always go out of our way to accomplish this.
Also, you can feel free to ask your
surgeon concerning any questions or doubts you may have concerning
the otoplasty procedure. He/she will always inform you about all the
different details; for example, you should know if you should
stop taking certain medications or if you will need to refrain
from drinking or eating for a certain time period before your
surgery.
When it is your child who will be
undertaking the treatment, you must stay tuned to you his/her
feelings at all times; the surgery will only be performed
when they have agreed to it on their own account.
Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your condition
(or your child’s) to determine which technique is the
most favorable. Specific instructions will be giving to you
once the procedure has been determined.
Make sure you have good communication with your surgeon at
all times since this will help increase your level of satisfaction.
Therefore, please do not hesitate to contact Better Looks
since we will be more than happy to help you with anything
you need.
The type of anesthesia used for
the surgery largely depends on the age of the patient. Doctors
recommend general anesthesia for younger patients, allowing
them to sleep all through the process; for older patients,
local anesthesia can be utilized, depending on their preference.
The length of the surgery depends
on the type of problem which is being treated, but it usually
takes from 2 to 3 hours.
The most usual technique involves
the making of a small incision in the back of the ear, following
the natural fold where the ear meets the head. This exposes
the cartilage which needs to be sculpted. Once it is reshaped
and bended towards the head, stitches are used to close the
incision and to aid in the preservation of the new shape.
In some cases, a larger piece of cartilage can be removed,
giving the ear a more natural-looking fold.
For other issues, a similar incision
is made but skin is removed and stitches are utilized to fold
the cartilage back on itself, thus, reshaping the ear without
the need to remove any cartilage.
Once the incisions are closed, your
doctor will wrap your head in a bulky bandage, which will
help with the healing and molding.
Generally, an otoplasty procedure (ear surgery) leaves a faint
scar at the back of the ear, which disappears with time. Patients
can go home within a few hours prior to the surgery, although,
if you prefer, you can stay overnight in the hospital while
being observed by our professional staff.
You can expect your head and ears
to throb for the first few days, as well as a certain level
of pain (which can be relieved by prescribed medication).
Swelling and bruising are also normal, but disappear after
a week or so. Eventually, the heavy dressing on your head
will be replaced by lighter bandages and non-dissolvable stitches
are taken out around a week prior to the surgery. You will
have to wear the bandages for at least 2 weeks after your
initial treatment.
For the first week, you will have
a special packing inside your ear which will interfere with
your hearing. If it falls out, do not replace it but instead,
use a clean piece of cotton to put into your ear and inform
your doctor. After 7 days, you will need to use some special
ear drops to loosen this inner packing; once it is loose enough,
it will be removed during the second week. Please do not remove
the packing yourself and let your doctor take care of it.
You should avoid shampooing your
hair for at least a week; after this, you will be allowed
to wash it, but always being careful not to allow any water
into your ear. To do this, we recommend you use a Vaseline-smeared
cotton ball and place it inside your ear and seal it with
more Vaseline. If you have stitches behind your ear, you must
also make sure you keep these dry.
Any type of activity which may cause the ear to be bent should
be avoided for at least month, since it can have serious repercussions
on the results of the treatment. You should refrain from doing
any exercise as well, especially no heavy weight lifting,
jogging or aerobics. Adults can usually go back to work 5
or so days afterwards and children can return to school within
a week, if they are careful when playing.
As with any type of Plastic
Surgery, complications are unusual, but they sometimes
do happen. However, they are usually minor and can be reduced
by precisely following your doctor’s directions before
and after the procedure.
Patients who have undertaken an otoplasty
procedure have sometimes experienced an overcorrection of
the ears (which places them too close to the head), development
of keloids (excessive scar tissue), hematomas, infection (treated
with antibiotics) and loosening of stitches (which causes
the ear to return to its original position), meaning that
a second procedure may be needed.
Make sure to ask your Better Looks
surgeon concerning any risks you might have to face when undertaking
this surgery. However, you must keep in mind that our certified
group of doctors works full-time to prevent such scenarios
from happening, since we value the health of our patients
above anything else. In order to keep the risks at a bare
minimum, please make sure that you follow your surgeons instructions
at all times.
The information given in this website should be considered
as an introduction to an otoplasty surgery in Costa Rica. Before deciding
on submitting yourself to the procedure described above, we
highly recommend you contact BetterLooks directly, so we can
answer any specific question you might have.
Related Keywords:
Ear surgery, otoplasty, microtia patient, traumatic ear loss,
cosmetic ear problems, drooping ears, ear job, ear pinning,
ear correction, symmetry, deformed, defect, surgery of the ears, prominent ear .
With
this cosmetic treatment, ear can be ‘pinned back’,
reduced in size, reshaped and made more symmetrical. This
operation has absolutely no effect upon the inner hearing
mechanism and can treat all kinds of conditions, such as lop
ears, cupped ears, shell ears and large, stretched earlobes.
Therefore, if you have been self-conscious about the way your
ears look, this procedure can be the solution for you. 
Whenever you come to the decision
of submitting yourself to any type of 
Also, you can feel free to ask your
surgeon concerning any questions or doubts you may have concerning
the otoplasty procedure. He/she will always inform you about all the
different details; for example, you should know if you should
stop taking certain medications or if you will need to refrain
from drinking or eating for a certain time period before your
surgery. 
For the first week, you will have
a special packing inside your ear which will interfere with
your hearing. If it falls out, do not replace it but instead,
use a clean piece of cotton to put into your ear and inform
your doctor. After 7 days, you will need to use some special
ear drops to loosen this inner packing; once it is loose enough,
it will be removed during the second week. Please do not remove
the packing yourself and let your doctor take care of it.
