WHAT IS

Ear Surgery?

Even if the ears are only mildly misshapen or protruding, it can lead to severe self-consciousness, embarrassment in social settings and teasing, which is why otoplasty, or ear surgery, is so often performed on children and teens, though adults may be excellent candidates as well. Patients can undergo the procedure as soon as their ears have reached their full size, which typically happens around five or six years of age. The aesthetic ear surgery involves adjusting the size, shape and position of the ears. The end result will depend on the issues being addressed. If ears stick out too far, ear pinning will secure them closer to the head. If they’re asymmetrical, ear repositioning can restore balance. If the shape of the ears is distorted or they’re too large, removing cartilage and reshaping them can ensure they’re proportional.

BENEFITS

of Ear Surgery

Improves the position, shape and proportion of the ears and creates facial balance

Offers a real emotional boost and enhances self-confidence

The low-risk procedure can be performed on children and results will last a lifetime with very little fluctuations

BEFORE + AFTER

Results

This 31-year-old patient was self-conscious about her protruding ears and always wore her hair down to hide them. Dr. Jung performed an otoplasty and set her ears back. The patient was extremely happy with the results and for the first time in her life has been able to put her hair up in a ponytail.

Disclaimer: Individual results may vary.

TREATMENT

Considerations

The surgery will be performed under general anesthesia or I.V. sedation. Dr. Jung will make an incision just behind the ear, in the natural fold where it meets the head. He removes the necessary amount of cartilage and skin. In some cases, he’ll trim and reshape the cartilage into the desired form before pinning it back with permanent sutures. In other instances, Dr. Jung won’t remove any cartilage at all. Instead, he’ll use stitches to reposition the ear and anchor it until healing occurs to hold the ear in its new place.

Although the ears’ folds and convolutions do serve to concentrate and localize sound waves, routine surgery to pin back or reshape ears will not affect hearing. The risks are fairly minimal but include very rare infections, poor healing and the possibility of the deformity recurring. Anything unusual should be reported to Dr. Jung immediately.

PRE + POST

Op Care

Dr. Jung will provide you with comprehensive pre-surgery instructions to ensure the procedure is safe and effective. After surgery, soft dressings will be applied to the ears. They’ll need to stay in place for a few days. Dr. Jung sometimes recommends a headband to hold the ears in their new position for two weeks. Most patients experience mild discomfort. Since you can’t put any pressure on your ears for a week or so, you won’t be able to sleep on your side. The majority of patients return to school or work and light activities in one week.

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