Most of us don’t really think of the ears as an area that can be corrected with plastic surgery, yet more than 20,000 people had their ears cosmetically altered just last year. Several of these individuals have turned to otoplasty or ear surgery to fix significantly large or prominent ears.
The Origins of Otoplasty
Otoplasty is the medical term for altering the appearance of an individual’s ears. The otoplasty procedure was developed in India hundreds of years ago, and it wasn’t until the early 1900s that it became more technically refined.
The procedure didn’t begin to gain in popularity until the late 20th century. The otoplasty procedure consists of altering the size and shape of the ear by replacing, removing or repositioning the soft tissue and cartilage.
Correcting Issues
One of the most significant problems that can be fixed with otoplasty is prominent ears. Cartilage at the back of the ear forces it to stick out from the person’s head. To correct this condition, an experienced and qualified surgeon such as; Mark Magnusson, plastic surgeon specialist will remove some of the cartilage through an incision at the back of the ear(s) where it connects to the individual’s head. The ear(s) will then be pinned back towards the head, and the resulting cartilage is then sutured into place with sutures.
While the ear is being pinned back, the shape of the ear isn’t affected at all, but it can be altered too if necessary. Too much cartilage can make the ear significantly large, thus resizing it becomes similar to pinning the ear.
The plastic surgeon will make an incision behind the ear, generally in the conchal bowl or outer rim; then the cartilage will be removed to make the ear smaller. Since the incisions are made behind the ear, they are easy to conceal. Surgeons who specialise in otoplasty can also rebuild an individual’s earlobes by removing the top layer of skin surrounding a hole or rip, repositioning the remaining soft tissue, and then suturing it into place.
Benefits
Our ears aren’t in an area of the face that is really noticeable unless of course, there is something about them that is making them noticeable. Misshapen, prominent or excessively large ears can lead to an individual being the unfortunate target of teasing, name-calling and bullying. They can also be a huge source of insecurity. Otoplasty can help improve a person’s confidence and self-image by making a few minor corrections to the ears so that they are less noticeable.
Otoplasty procedures are normally shorter than other cosmetic surgical procedures, which means you’ll be in and out of the clinic in no time! Recovery takes about two weeks, but the initial recovery period where you will be wearing bandages and taking painkillers will be just a few days.
