Ear Pinning surgery in Toowoomba
Otoplasty is a plastic surgery procedure used to change the shape, size, angle, or position of the ear. Also called ‘ear pinning surgery’, it is generally used to give the ears a more normal shape and angle which can help restore confidence in individuals of any age.
Otoplasty can also correct injuries and birth defects, repair torn ear lobes or cartilage after piercings, repair stretched earlobes, and reshape ears that bend in the wrong places. It is a very versatile and impactful procedure that may be for you if your ears make you feel less confident.
Eligibility for otoplasty surgery
You should have fully developed ears that are at their adult size before undergoing an otoplasty. Most ears reach adult size at around age 5, but the cartilage inside them continues to harden with age. Softer cartilage is easier to shape and mould, and otoplasty is more effective in children and young teenagers as a result. However, older teenagers and adults routinely get excellent results from ear surgery regardless.
There are no real alternatives to ear pinning surgery. Surgically removing or reshaping the ear’s cartilage is the only reliable way to permanently adjust the ear’s angle. If you wish to avoid an otoplasty that reconstructs the ear’s shape after an injury or birth defect, you may choose to wear a prosthesis instead. This can make the ear appear more normal, but does not affect the ear’s physical structure.
What can I expect from my ear pinning surgery?
You will usually spend 2–3 hours in the operating theatre when undergoing otoplasty. Most adults have the surgery under a local anaesthetic and sedation, while children are mostly placed under a general anaesthetic. You will not need to stay in the hospital overnight after your procedure but will need someone to drive you home due to the anaesthetic.
The ears may appear uneven as they heal. This usually resolves itself as the swelling goes down over the next few weeks, provided you care for your surgical sites. You will need to wear a fitted headband for around two weeks afterward and avoid sleeping on your sides to let the cartilage heal in position, and must not return to contact sports until given the all-clear by your doctor.
There are some limitations to otoplasty. Your surgeon cannot move the ear up or down as this would impact your hearing, and they must act especially carefully in some cases. Otoplasty is a very delicate procedure and a millimetre of difference can completely alter the ear’s angle – like in natural ears, exact evenness is unlikely. Surgeons will often reduce discrepancies by operating on both ears in the same procedure, even if only one sticks out. Your surgeon will hide the incisions on backs of your ears and inside the ear’s inner creases wherever possible, though you should still expect some scarring.
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