Have you ever heard of ear plastic surgery? Did you know that there are some people who undergo such surgery in order to beautify their ears? Let''s learn everything about this process.

In this article, here is the most important information about ear plastic surgery

Ear plastic surgery

Doctors call ear plastic surgery as otoplasty, and it is a procedure that is more common among children, especially those between the ages of 4 and 14 years.

This operation is used to correct some different ear conditions, such as: protruding ears, large ears, forward-facing ears, cortical ear, which is a condition in which the ear lacks some natural features, and many others.

It is possible to perform this operation at any age, but it must be performed after the ears reach their full size, that is, after the age of five until adulthood. However, if the child is born with problems in the ears, it is possible to use this operation in splinting, but this is done directly after birth.

Otoplasty surgery may last 2-3 hours, depending on the severity of the condition, meaning that the surgery may be longer if the procedure is more complex.

The surgeon uses local anesthesia for adults undergoing surgery, while the child will likely receive general anesthesia to ensure that he is unable to move during the operation.

Methods of performing ear plastic surgery

There are several ways in which the ear can be reshaped, as follows

1. Cut the cartilage

It is the main structure of the ear.

2. Folding the cartilage and suturing it

Instead of cutting the cartilage, the surgeon begins by making a small cut in the back of your ear in order to facilitate access to the cartilage, and then stitches the area.

Steps for performing ear plastic surgery

There are several important steps to the ear plastic surgery:

1. Anesthesia

Options include local, intravenous, or general anesthesia. The doctor will decide which anesthesia is most appropriate for you, and it depends mainly on age, as we mentioned.

2. The incision

To correct protrusion of the ears, surgical techniques are used to or increase the crease within the edge of the ear in order to reduce the axial cartilage hypertrophy, which is the largest and deepest concavity of the outer ear.

The doctor usually makes these incisions behind the ear so that they are not visible to the eye. However, he may have to incise the ear from the front in some cases, but he tries to do so within the folds of the ear.

Internal, non-removable sutures are used to and hold the newly formed cartilage in place.

3. Closing the incisions

Of course, after these incisions are made, whether they are behind the ear or in the front area, the doctor closes them well with stitches.

4. Results

Ear surgery provides almost immediate results in cases of ear protrusion in particular, which appears as soon as the bandages that support the new shape of the ear are removed during the early stages of healing.

With the ear permanently positioned close to the head, the surgical scars are hidden behind the ear or well hidden within the natural creases of the ear.

After ear plastic surgery

You may need to rest for a week after the procedure. The doctor will also bandage the head after the procedure and will tell you how long you will need to wear the bandage and how to manage it while sleeping.

You may wear the bandage for at least three days, after which your doctor will ask you to wear a bandage called an aqal for up to three weeks until it heals.

If you have stitches that need to be removed, your doctor will do this about a week after surgery.

Side effects associated with otoplasty

Otoplasty involves various risks, including

Scars occur, and their location depends on the area of the stitches, which may be behind the ear or inside the folds, as we mentioned.

Asymmetry in the location of the ears, as this may occur during the healing process or as a result of unsuccessful surgery.

A change in the sensation of the skin in the area that underwent surgery, but this is a temporary change and is rarely permanent.

Problems with stitches, such as inflammation.

Overcorrection: Otoplasty can unnatural contours that make the ears appear pinned back and asymmetrical.

bleeding.

Risks and side effects associated with anesthesia.

Discoloration of the skin.

Allergy to tape, suture materials, adhesives, blood products, topical preparations, or injected agents.

Pain that can last for a long time.

infection.

Breathing problems.

Blood clots.