Otoplasty is among the many cosmetic surgeries that are available at Keller Plastic Surgery in Southern California, where board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory S. Keller and his team of dedicated professionals serve residents of Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and nearby communities.
What is the goal of Otoplasty?
Otoplasty is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world, performed on thousands of patients yearly, including children. The goal of otoplasty is to eliminate cosmetic imperfections and improve structural conditions in the ears to achieve proper proportion between the ears and the facial features. Otoplasty improves a patient’s self-esteem by eliminating the embarrassment of having ears that stick out too far or are too big, and the bullying that children and teens may experience because of this condition.
How can Otoplasty enhance a person’s appearance?
Our patients consistently report that they feel significantly happier with their appearance after otoplastys. Otoplasty’s can correct almost any cosmetic problem of the ears, such as the shape, size, position, or symmetry of the ears. Otoplasty corrects such problems as ears that look out of proportion with the facial features and ears that protrude too far from the head or face forward. Otoplasty Beverly hills may also correct structural defects in the ear resulting from previous injury, illness, or genetic conditions, as well as minor concerns such as altering the size or shape of the earlobes.
Can Otoplasty be performed on young children?
Otoplasty is one of the few plastic surgeries that may be safely performed on children during early childhood. The shape of the ear is fully developed in most children by about the age of 4, while cartilage inside the ear begins to harden at around age 7 or 8. The ideal time to perform otoplasty on children is at age 6 or 7, before the cartilage hardens, in order to keep the procedure as minimally invasive as possible. Children at this age heal more quickly because the cartilage inside the ear is still pliable enough to be easily re-sculpted. Otoplasty is also safely performed on older children, teens, and adults of all ages.
Is Otoplasty a complicated surgical procedure?
Otoplasty Los Angeles is one of the most established and commonly performed procedures in the field of plastic surgery, and thousands of patients around the world have undergone this procedure. The surgery is simple and usually performed with “twilight” or local anesthesia, and takes about one hour per ear. Otoplasty requires an incision hidden in the natural crease behind the ear, through which Dr. Keller can access the cartilage and skin tissue in order to reshape and sculpt the ears.
Does Otoplasty require an extensive recovery period?
Most patients recover from otoplasty in about one week, during which you may experience some degree of soreness, swelling and bruising, which naturally subsides within a few days. You will need to have someone drive you home after the surgery, since you may still be feeling the effects of the anesthesia, and you may feel sore after the procedure. Your ears will be bandaged immediately after surgery, and these compression bandages must remain in place for several days to protect delicate tissue. You will also need to wear a soft headband to protect your ears while you sleep. Light activity may be resumed after a week, but you must hold off on strenuous exercise for about four to six weeks in order to avoid impact or injury to the ears, and to allow ample time for the internal tissue to fully recover.
Overcome the embarrassment of ears that stick out or are too big with an otoplasty procedure performed at Keller Plastic Surgery, led by Dr. Gregory S. Keller, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon serving residents of Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills, as well as neighboring communities. Contact our office today to schedule your free consultation!
