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Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

Considering Ear Surgery?

If you're lucky enough to have small ears that hug your head and no other ear problems, you may not give your ears much thought. If that's not the case, you may have been considering ear surgery for some time. Whatever your dissatisfaction with your ears, you should know that ear surgery (otoplasty) in San Francisco is a relatively simple procedure with low risk and easy recovery.

Dr. David Mabrie works with men and women from throughout the Bay Area including San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek and Pinole. Request a consultation online or call us at 415-445-9513.

What Causes Prominent Ears?

The normal ear has a fold called the, 'anti-helical fold' in the middle of the ear. Prominent ears are caused either by underdevelopment of this fold, overdevelopment of the ear cartilage, or a combination of both.

The anti-helical fold bends the ear closer to the head. If this fold is underdeveloped, the ear will be oriented straight out from the head and appear more prominent.

When an underdeveloped anti-helical fold is the cause of prominent ears, San Francisco facial cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mabrie will create or augment the fold with permanent sutures placed under the skin through an otoplasty procedure.
 

Another cause of prominent ears is the overdevelopment of the ear cartilage close to the head. To repair this problem, Dr. Mabrie removes excess cartilage during the otoplasty.

Am I a Good Candidate?

Otoplasty is the medical name for the procedure that corrects protruding ears. If you're generally happy with your appearance but you feel your ears are too prominent, you're probably a good candidate for the procedure. Since protruding ears is a congenital condition, it is covered by most insurance plans if the surgery is done by age 17.

If you're considering otoplasty for your child, the procedure can be performed as early as five years of age when the ears are fully developed. If your child is sensitive about their ears, especially if they're taunted by others, you may want to act soon to save them any long-lasting effects of ridicule. On the other hand, the American Society of Plastic Surgeon recommends not insisting your child have the procedure until they are ready. The ASPS suggests that children who welcome the change surgery will bring are more patient with the process and more satisfied with the result.

If you have damage to your earlobes from piercing, there's no reason to delay arranging the low-risk, uncomplicated repair. If keloid scars are the reason for your unsightly lobes, click to read more about keloid scar removal.

How Will I Look?

If you decide to have otoplasty to correct protruding ears, you may feel a great sense of relief the first few times you look in the mirror and don't see your ears "sticking out." To you, the change may be dramatic and you may ask yourself why you waited so long to seek surgery. But keep in mind the procedure won't change your looks overall. Other people may not even notice your ears have changed.

The same can be said for the change you'll see if you decide to have Dr. Mabrie fix an unattractive earlobe. You will still be you, with a likely sense of relief that a problem area is no longer a problem.

How Is Ear Surgery Performed?

When performed by Dr. Mabrie in San Francisco, otoplasty takes about two hours. Adults usually have local anesthesia and go home the same day. Dr. Mabrie uses general anesthesia on children, to ensure they don't experience undue anxiety, which means they stay in the hospital for 24 hours after surgery.

Dr. Mabrie makes an incision behind the ear and trims away excess skin and cartilage. He puts stitches in the cartilage to create folds that weren't there before and makes small adjustments to give the ear a natural appearance. What it amounts to, in many cases, is "repositioning" protruding ears.

You don't need to be concerned about scars with otoplasty. The incisions are behind the ear and located within natural folds of the skin.

Surgery to repair earlobes is usually performed in-office with the patient under local anesthesia and takes about 45 minutes, depending on the extent of the injury. Patients may wear earrings again in about 8 weeks after surgery.

How Much Pain Is Involved?

Patients who choose to have ear surgery experience very little pain. With a full otoplasty, you may discover your ears feel tender for several weeks. An over-the-counter pain reliever is all you'll need.

How do I Prepare for Surgery?

If you're having otoplasty, you'll probably want to arrange a couple days off work because you'll be wearing bandages. Other than that, there's little preparation to worry about. For earlobe repair, it's even simpler. You can plan to resume your normal activities right away.

If your child is having otoplasty, you'll want to spend some time ensuring they feel ready. Tell them what the process will be like so they will know what to expect, and prepare them that they'll look a little different afterward. Let them know that you'll be with them at every step along the way. Dr. Mabrie's and his staff are experienced in helping children through otoplasty and they'll be resources for you as well.

Ear Surgery Recovery

Bandages	Suture Removal	Restaurant Ready*	75%	100%
2-3 days	5-7 days	5-7 days	3-4 weeks	2-3 months
*Restaurant ready means you are ready to debut the new you!

What Is the Recovery Like?

You can expect some discoloration and swelling after otoplasty. Following surgery, you'll wear a turban-like dressing to protect your ears (adults for two days; children, five). After removal of the turban, you'll wear an exercise headband over your ears when you sleep for the next two weeks. Adults often resume normal activities the day after surgery. Children usually return to school in a week. You can wash your hair two days after the procedure, but you'll need to avoid strenuous exercise for three weeks.

If you're having earlobe repair, recovery consists of doing your part to help your small incision heal properly. You should be able to wear earrings again in about eight weeks.

If you're thinking about having a keloid scar removed or if you're prone to keloid scarring, discuss your ear repair with Dr. Mabrie. He is experienced in removing and minimizing the risk of keloids.