Surgical Solutions If the Appearance of Your Ears Bothers You



Big ears. Pointy ears. Ears sticking out to far. Large earlobes. There are a number of complaints people have about their ears of which these are only a few. At first glance, ear enhancements may seem like a very small percentage of all plastic surgical procedures undertaken. This assumption is entirely incorrect.

The appearance of ones ears can be a major issue for each of us. Our ears are located on the focal point, the head, of our body. They are as much a part of the physical impression we give people as our nose. If you catch people glancing at your ears when they speak to you, you know this is the case. Fortunately, surgical solutions exist and are a very popular procedure in the plastic surgery field.

Medically known as Otoplasty, plastic surgeons perform frequent surgeries to enhance the appearance of patient’s ears. Unlike most plastic surgical procedures, the enhancement is not pre-defined. It depends entirely on the condition of the ears and how the patient is bothered by the condition. The most common complaints are the ears are too large or stick out from the side of the head too much. Otoplasty is a method for dealing with both.

Ear surgery is most often done at a younger age. Given the effect on psychological development and the inherent teasing abilities of other children, this is hardly surprising. This psychological impact is so established that otoplasty is one of the few cosmetic surgeries that health insurance may cover. Obviously, you should check with your insurance carrier to see if this is the case in your situation.

Depending on the situation, ear surgery can take a couple of hours or longer. The exact procedure can’t be described because it depends on the specific condition each patient has. That being said, general anesthesia is often used, but the procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis with no hospitalization required. Recover time is usually a week or so and the changes are permanent.

If your ears are a constant source of aggravation, you need not continue to suffer. Ear enhancement is a fairly common procedure and one that can make a major difference to children and adults.