What is a Otoplasty?
An otoplasty procedure is a cosmetic surgery procedure performed on a person’s ears. Now, one may ask what possibly could be wrong with someone’s ears that they feel like they need ear surgery? In fact, large or protruding ears are not uncommon but they can be a great source of embarrassment for individuals, especially children who may suffer a great deal of ridicule due to the size of their ears.
Otoplasty is also known as an ear pinning procedure. During the procedure, permanent sutures are utilized to reshape the ears. Cartilage may be removed or reshaped in the lower ear, and in the upper ear the cartilage will be reshaped to help position the ear closer to the scalp/head area. Having large ears where they appear to be too large for your head is common with both adults and young children, but having large ear surgery performed can help. Dr. Bentkover has had over 25 years of experience with otoplasty procedures not only on adults, but youths as well.
How Can Otoplasty Help Me Become More Confident?
At an early age, when they body is still developing and you are “growing into your body”, some body parts may seem a little more large and out of place than normal. Some youths may hear adults say, “you have not grown into yours ear yet” or some kids may get bullied at school for it. That can take a big toll on a young child because they may not fully understand what is going on and their embarrassment level rises where they may not want to go out in public much anymore. Typically, in those extreme cases Dr. Bentkover and his team will do everything they can to help youths regain their confidence again so they can feel comfortable in their skin and their growing bodies.
Good Candidates for the Procedure
While getting an otoplasty procedure performed at an early age may seem risky and a little nerve wracking for some parents, it is actually quite normal. A good candidate would be children 5 years or older who have large or protruding ears. Getting the surgery performed at an early age can help to spare children the ridicule that they might experience from their peers. Of course, adults routinely opt for otoplasty too. Many of Dr. Bentkover’s otoplasty procedures are performed on teenagers and young adults who have put off the procedure for a number of years. If you are considering the procedure for your young child, the consultation with Dr. Bentkover will be the most important part of the journey.
The Consultation
During this appointment, Dr. Bentkover will examine the patient’s ears and will ask for a full medical history. Dr. Bentkover will be sure to discuss the medical history with the patient and what their goals are for the procedure. He will also be sure to display before and after pictures of the otoplasty procedure and discuss realistic results of the procedure with the patient. Once a decision is made to move ahead with the surgery, Dr. Bentkover’s staff will schedule the procedure and go over the pre- and post-op recommendations.
The recovery is not strenuous. The ears will be wrapped in sterile dressings and a follow up appointment will take place 2-4 days after the initial procedure. The sutures will be removed about a week after the procedure. The pain is mild to moderate after the procedure depending on the person, but the pain can be managed with medication. The overall recovery period will last about two weeks, but Dr. Bentkover and his staff will strongly suggest maintaining and taking good care of your ears because they will continue to heal for quite sometime.
If you are interested in learning more about the otoplasty procedure, whether it be for a child or an adult, you can contact either of Dr. Bentkover’s offices at 508-363-6500 (Worcester, MA) or 617-247-0033 (Stoneham, MA).