FAQs About Otoplasty
The last thing that you want is for your child to experience teasing or bullying because of their appearance. If your child has ears that protrude to the side, then we may be able to perform a cosmetic surgery procedure called an otoplasty. To help you become a little bit more familiar with this procedure, this article will answer a few FAQs about otoplasty.
What Is An Otoplasty?
An otoplasty is a form of ear surgery that we typically perform in patients who are ages 6 to 14 years old. Typically, we will remove extra cartilage and then sculpt it into a new shape which helps move the ear closer to the head. Additionally, we can also remove extra pieces of cartilage which results in a more natural- looking ear fold. On average, this procedure takes about 2-3 hours.
What Is Recovery Like?
When we send your child home from surgery, we will wrap their head in bandages to help keep it in place. Make sure that your child doesn’t remove the bandages until the doctor says so. Additionally, help your child wash the incision site to avoid infection. Because your child will have to take a few days off of school to recover, try to choose activities for them that will allow them to rest. For instance, board games or movies are always a good idea.
What Are Results Like?
Both parents and children are typically thrilled with their results. Plus, when we perform the surgery, we try to conceal the incisions, so they aren’t very noticeable.
If you and your child are interested in learning a little bit more about ear surgery, contact our Huntington office at (631) 423-1000 and schedule an appointment with us today!
- Published in Otoplasty
A Guide on How to Talk to Your Kids About An Otoplasty
It’s never easy talking to your kids about hard issues— especially when it comes to either their health or appearance. If your child’s ears stick out a little far from their head and you are worried about them causing self-esteem issues, later on, you may want to consider an ear pinning surgery or otoplasty from Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants. As one of the hardest parts of this surgery, however, you will need to explain it to your child.
Avoid Details
As adults, we tend to be detail oriented. We want to know the step-by-step process of virtually anything— especially a surgical procedure— and often, the more detailed things are, the better. However, with young children, it’s best to leave the details out. Details tend to overwhelm them and cause confusion. Rather than explaining all of the steps of the surgery, just say that they need to go to the doctor to have their ears fixed and explain that it won’t be painful and that you’ll be there the whole time.
Talk About the “Why” in a Subtle Way
You are obviously going to need to explain to your child why they are having surgery. And because an otoplasty is primarily an elective cosmetic surgery, this can be difficult. As a suggestion, try explaining to them that they are still beautiful or handsome but that the doctor is just going to make a few small changes to their ears so they won’t have to worry about them when they’re older. Whatever you do, don’t use any negative language or make them feel embarrassed about their image.
Talking to your child about an otoplasty is often one of the most dreaded aspects of the procedure by parents. However, by using these two easy tips above, you can hopefully make it easier.
To learn more about an otoplasty or to schedule your child’s consultation, contact our Huntington office today!
- Published in Otoplasty
Is Ear Pinning Just For Kids? The Facts Behind Otoplasty for Adults
Children are relentless, and they tend to poke fun at just about anything different that they see— including ears. Although large, misshapen, or protruding ears more of a cosmetic concern, they can make you feel like you want to hide under a rock. Luckily, an otoplasty can help.
An otoplasty, or ear pinning surgery, is a surgical procedure that is typically done on children ages 6 to 14 to help correct cosmetic issues. However, although it’s a bit rarer, otoplasty is also a surgical procedure that can help some adults. During an otoplasty, incisions will likely be in the natural creases of the ear to help reduce scarring. After the incisions have been made, skin and cartilage will be removed. This is done to help reshape the ears and give patients the desired results. So, how does this type of surgery change when you’re an adult?
Why Get An Otoplasty As An Adult?
Nobody wants to spend their entire life feeling self-conscious about their appearance. If you have either been made fun of a lot or if you have noticed your self-esteem decreasing because of the size or placement of your ears, then you may want to consider an otoplasty. Afterall, life is too short to spend it feeling self-conscious.
Is Surgery a Possibility?
Typically, otoplasties are performed on children. But, depending on your exact position, we may be able to perform this surgery on you. During your initial consultation with our Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants office, we will perform an evaluation and determine whether or not you are a good candidate for this specific type of procedure.
Are There Benefits of Waiting?
As previously mentioned, most surgeons like to perform an otoplasty on children. But one of the biggest benefits of adults getting an otoplasty is that they’re more careful with the aftercare. This reduces their likelihood of getting a postoperative infection.
If you’re sick of spending your adult life feeling self-conscious about the size, shape, or placement of your ears, consider getting an otoplasty. Schedule your otoplasty consultation with our Huntington office today or call (631) 423-1000!
- Published in Otoplasty
How to Prepare Your Child for An Otoplasty
If your child’s ears protrude a bit farther away from their head and they are self-conscious about them or they consistently get made fun of at school, then you may want to consider scheduling an otoplasty for them. As a surgery designed to help essentially pin back your child’s ears so that they sit a bit closer to their head, otoplasty is a life changing surgical treatment that will give your child permanent results. However, although the results are enough to make your child jump for joy, the very thought of undergoing surgery can be enough to give your child a bit of anxiety. From discussing the surgical procedure to understanding what recovery will be like, this article will discuss some of the ways that you can prepare your child for an otoplasty.
Discuss the Procedure
Nothing will help ease your child’s anxiety quite like answering their questions and letting them know what they can expect from their surgery. As a great tool, your child’s doctor at Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants can sit down with you and your child pre-surgery in order to go over what they can expect from the surgery itself— also during this time, your child can ask one of our surgical expert any questions that they may have.
An Incentive
Children love to have something to look forward to— as we all do. As a great way to get your child through their surgery, offer them some sort of incentive. For instance, have them pick out their favorite ice cream from the grocery store beforehand and let them have some when they get out of surgery. Or, take them to the toy store beforehand and let them pick out a new toy that they can play with once they are out of surgery and in recovery.
Explain Recovery
As one of the most important steps of any surgical process, recovery is key. As another way to ease your child’s anxieties, explain to your child what they can expect from the recovery process. For instance, explain to them that they will have to stay in bed for a few days afterwards and watch movies, and that they will have to wear a bandage over their head and around their ears as they heal.
Undergoing surgery is intense for anyone, especially children. help ease your child’s anxieties regarding surgery by following the tips lifted above. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact our Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants office today!
- Published in Otoplasty
Ear Pinning: The Art of Otoplasty
When you are a parent, you want the best for your kids. You want to ensure that they are happy, healthy, and that they live the best life as possible. And when it comes to things that may not be necessarily life or death but that you know will bring them happiness later on in life, such as otoplasty (ear surgery). If your child has ears that stick out a bit far away from their head and you are worried that they may be self-conscious about this later on or that they may be made fun of at school, then otoplasty is just the surgery you are looking for. Read on to learn more.
How is the surgery done?
Thinking about having your little one go into any type of surgery— no matter how big or small it is— is enough to give any parent a heart attack. However, by understanding the ins and outs of the surgical procedure they are going to undergo, you can help to feel more calm, cool, and collected.
During an otoplasty, your child will be placed under anesthesia so that they won’t feel or remember a thing. Once under anesthesia, the surgeon will make a short incision at the back of the ear in order to expose the cartilage. Once the cartilage is exposed, it will then be sculpted into a new shape and will be moved closer to the head. Lasting about two to three hours, this surgery is straightforward and simple. What is recovery like? Another thing that’s important to know about when considering any surgical procedure for your child is what the recovery process will be like. As your child’s number one care taker, you can expect your child to wear a headband around their head and ears for a few days following the procedure until their ears have started to heal. Additionally, you should make sure that your child doesn’t participate in too much ative play while they are healing.
If you would like to learn more about otoplasty surgery or if you would like to schedule a consultation for your child, contact our Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants office today!
- Published in Otoplasty