What is otoplasty?
It is an aesthetic procedure that corrects congenital ear abnormalities. The most common corrections are performed on protruding or large ears, but it can also be done for other rarer ear deformities.
At what age is the surgery performed?
In children, it can be performed from the age of five when the ears have almost fully developed, as well as in adults of any age.
The surgery can also be performed at any time during school age if parents wish to have more conscious consent from their child. Girls usually avoid pulling their hair back and many boys leave more hair over their ears. Children who feel uncomfortable with the appearance of their ears and seek correction are generally more cooperative for the surgery and happier with the result. Sometimes the correction only needs to be done on one ear.
What about the recovery?
An overnight stay at the clinic or even at home after the surgery is not necessary. The ears are bandaged for the first 24 hours. Afterwards, one can go about without bandaging. For the first two weeks, wearing a bandana or sweatband during sleep is recommended to protect the new position of the ears. There may also be mild pain for the first few days, which is easily managed with painkillers.
