Patients considering cosmetic surgery procedures, such as otoplasty, should first acquire as much information as they can about the procedure to be able to make a judicious choice.

During the initial consultation, the patient should freely ask the surgeon questions and express any doubts that they may have on the ear surgery. Ideally, the patient should make a list of all the questions that they want to ask the surgeon and take this list to their consultation appointment.

A committed surgeon will try to answer the patient’s question in as much detail as possible and inform them about the advantages and limitations of the procedure.

McLain Surgical Arts, led by Dr. Landon D. McLain, provides ear reshaping surgery to patients in Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and surrounding locations.

 

Important Questions to Ask

• Am I an appropriate candidate for otoplasty?
• What surgical technique would be suitable for my ear reshaping surgery?
• Will you perform the procedure under general or local anesthesia?
• Where will the incisions be located? Will it lead to noticeable scarring in the future?
• What steps will I need to undertake to prepare for my otoplasty?
• Will the recovery process be extended and painful?
• What are the potential risks and complications associated with otoplasty?
• Can you show me ear surgery before and after photos of previous patients?
• Is your practice adequately equipped to manage any emergency situation that may arise during the surgery or recovery phase?
• Are further changes possible in the ears after ear reshaping surgery?

 

Questions about Surgical Preparation and Procedure

Otoplasty Surgery Preparation

The surgeon will provide the patient with in-depth guidelines on preparing for ear reshaping surgery after establishing their candidacy for the procedure. The patient will be required to avoid smoking and discontinue specific types of medications for a few days.

Scarring after Otoplasty

The surgeon will place incisions in discreet locations, such as behind the ear where it connects to the head, or inside the inner folds of the ear. This causes minimal visible scarring, but the scarring may vary between patients depending on the extent of the ear reshaping surgery.

 

Procedure

As children have soft ear cartilage, the surgeon may use splints to develop new ear contours. This cosmetic surgery procedure will be performed with the child under general anesthesia.

Conversely, adult cartilage is hard. For this reason, otoplasty in adults may involve the removal or repositioning of ear cartilage after placing a tiny incision in the ear.

 

Day of the Surgery

Ear reshaping surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure. Therefore, the patient should ask someone to drive them home following their ear surgery. It usually takes between one to two hours to complete the procedure.

 

Questions about the Cost

 

• What are the estimated costs of ear reshaping surgery at your practice?

• Does this cost estimate include surgical venue expenses and the anesthesiologist’s fees?

• What are the costs related to post-op necessities, such as prescription drugs and medical examinations?

 

 

Questions about Insurance and Financing

In case the patient desires otoplasty to rectify birth defects, they may be eligible for insurance coverage.

However, if the patient is ineligible for insurance coverage, they may seek loans from professional medical care financing companies. The surgeon’s staff may be able to offer the patient guidance on the various financing options available to them.

Dr. Landon D. McLain receives patients from Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and nearby areas for ear reshaping surgery.

McLain Surgical Arts is a leading cosmetic surgery practice headed by Dr. Landon D. McLain MD, DMD, FACS in Huntsville, AL. Dr. McLain is a double board certified cosmetic and oral & maxillofacial surgeon, offering a variety of procedures such as dental implants, wisdom teeth extraction, breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, facelift, Botox, and laser skin resurfacing. For more information or to schedule a consultation call 256.429.3411 or click here.

Now taking patients from Huntsville, Scottsboro, Decatur, Madison, Athens, Florence, Cullman, AL and surrounding areas.

Some individuals are displeased with the shape and size of their ears right from their childhood. Yet others may feel that their ears are excessively protuberant, droopy, or asymmetrical.

Fortunately, ear reshaping plastic surgery, or otoplasty, is a widely available plastic surgery solution to reshape ears.

It is important for people considering otoplasty or ear pinning to familiarize themselves with the procedure and gather all relevant information during the pre-op consultation with their plastic surgeon. These details can enable patients to attain clarity on whether this procedure is appropriate for them or not.

Dr. Landon D. McLain provides otoplasty to patients in Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and surrounding locations.

 

The Otoplasty Consultation

Patients should inform themselves about ear reshaping surgery and identify a highly qualified surgeon. The pre-op consultation with this surgeon will form the basis of the procedure.

The surgeon will evaluate the patient’s ear thoroughly and recommend various techniques to correct the problem. In addition, they will establish the patient as a candidate for an otoplasty at this time.

After the surgeon determines that ear reshaping surgery is an appropriate procedure for the patient, they will offer details on the procedure. In addition, they will discuss facets such as anesthesia, the patient’s medical history, and approximate costs of the procedure.

The consultation process is an opportunity for the patient to understand more about the benefits and potential risks associated with otoplasty. Prior to the ear reshaping surgery, the parents or guardians of children undergoing this procedure should try to understand how the child feels about this surgery.

They should openly discuss various aspects of the surgery and recovery process with their child to help them develop reasonable expectations from ear surgery.

 

Establishing Candidacy

At the time of the consultation, the surgeon will review the patient’s health records and make any necessary changes to their current medication schedule. They may also order specific medical tests in some cases.

Additionally, they will take the patient’s skin type, age, ear structure, and skin laxity into consideration to recommend the correct otoplasty technique or combination of procedures to allow the patient to accomplish their desired results.

 

Assessing Aesthetic Goals

The consultation process offers the surgeon an opportunity to comprehend the patient’s reasons for seeking otoplasty and the aspects of their ears that they are unhappy about. The surgeon will use these inputs to create an individualized surgical plan for the patient, which will be tailored to their unique needs.

 

Informing the Patient

The surgeon will educate the patient on various aspects of ear reshaping surgery at the time of the consultation to allow them to make a judicious choice. During their meeting with the surgeon, the patient should unhesitatingly ask any questions and express concerns that they may have.

The surgeon will address the patient’s questions in an accurate and comprehensive manner. The surgeon may also display before and after images of previous otoplasty patients to enable the new patient to develop realistic expectations from this procedure.

 

Preparation Guidelines

At the time of the consultation, the patient will receive in-depth guidelines for the pre and post-operative phase to allow them to prepare properly for the procedure. In case the patient smokes, the surgeon will require them to discontinue smoking for a specified duration.

Dr. Landon D. McLain receives patients from Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and nearby areas.

McLain Surgical Arts is a leading cosmetic surgery practice headed by Dr. Landon D. McLain MD, DMD, FACS in Huntsville, AL. Dr. McLain is a double board certified cosmetic and oral & maxillofacial surgeon, offering a variety of procedures such as dental implants, wisdom teeth extraction, breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, facelift, Botox, and laser skin resurfacing. For more information or to schedule a consultation call 256.429.3411 or click here.

Now taking patients from Huntsville, Scottsboro, Decatur, Madison, Athens, Florence, Cullman, AL and surrounding areas.

Ear reshaping plastic surgery or otoplasty should only be undertaken on the right candidates who can significantly improve the appearance of their face with this procedure.

A committed surgeon will cautiously assess the patient as a candidate for this procedure before giving them the green light for the surgery.

Dr. Landon D. McLain provides otoplasty to patients in Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and surrounding communities.

 

Characteristics of an Ideal Candidate

It is challenging to camouflage the ears with clothing or other options. For this reason, individuals with very protuberant ears, or ears that are disproportionate, asymmetrical, flapping, or drooping too low, may feel self-conscious in social settings. Otoplasty is an effective solution for such individuals.

Otoplasty can address the problem of malformed or deformed ears, whether it is a child who experiences teasing at school or an adult who feels uncomfortable or self-conscious due to their awkward ear shape, or someone who has experienced ear trauma.

Certain children are born with significant ear defects and may make ideal candidates for reconstructive otoplasty.

 

Candidates for Traditional or Reconstructive Otoplasty

Traditional otoplasty, or ear pinning surgery, is an appropriate option for candidates with large or protruding ears. Such ears can be ‘pinned’ back towards the patient’s head to help create a more regular appearance enabling them to feel more appealing and normal.

Candidates with severe ear defects due to some type of external trauma or congenital reasons can also benefit from reconstructive otoplasty.

 

Child Candidates

Children with ear deformities since birth may make appropriate candidates for ear reshaping surgery.

A child candidate may typically need otoplasty around the age of six years, which is when the ears are appropriately developed to a size quite close to that of an adult. For child candidates, otoplasty may be commonly performed between the ages of four and fourteen years.

Children under the age of four years may not be appropriate candidates for ear reshaping surgery as their ears are still developing. However, conditions that are identified early can be corrected more easily with younger ear tissue.

If the child has a major defect in ear size or shape, it is advisable to consult a surgeon to establish their candidacy for reconstructive ear surgery.

 

Common Congenital Defects

The candidates for ear reshaping surgery may suffer from one of the below mentioned congenital defects:

• Cleft Earlobe – An indent in the earlobe
• Scroll Ear – Ear is curled forward
• Cagot Ear – Absence of the earlobe
• Cat’s Ear – Ear edges folded forward
• Lop Ear – Sharp inward curve of the ear
• Wildermuth’s Ear – Reversed top ear curve
• Stahl’s Ear Deformity – Abnormal folding of the ear

Patients of skin cancer and malignant melanoma may also sometimes need otoplasty to eliminate cancer and then reconstruct the remaining tissue. Dr. Landon D. McLain receives patients from Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and nearby areas.

McLain Surgical Arts is a leading cosmetic surgery practice headed by Dr. Landon D. McLain MD, DMD, FACS in Huntsville, AL. Dr. McLain is a double board certified cosmetic and oral & maxillofacial surgeon, offering a variety of procedures such as dental implants, wisdom teeth extraction, breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, facelift, Botox, and laser skin resurfacing. For more information or to schedule a consultation call 256.429.3411 or click here.

Now taking patients from Huntsville, Scottsboro, Decatur, Madison, Athens, Florence, Cullman, AL and surrounding areas.

Otoplasty is one of the few plastic surgery procedures that can also be performed on children. However, the child’s ear must be fully developed before undergoing this procedure. Ear shape deformities are usually present from birth and can be easily corrected with ear reshaping cosmetic surgery.

The plastic surgeon will carefully assess the condition and shape of the ear in relation to the head and face structure and then recommend an appropriate ear surgical plan. The primary goal of an experienced surgeon will be to achieve the desired results in a minimally invasive manner.

Dr. Landon D. McLain provides otoplasty to patients in Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and surrounding locations.

 

Appropriate Candidates

Any individual in good general health and with concerns about the appearance of oversized, malformed, flapping, or asymmetrical ears can be a good candidate for ear reshaping plastic surgery.

A child with deformed or misshapen ears can also receive this cosmetic surgery if they are at least five years of age, and the ear cartilage has developed completely and attained stability.

Otoplasty surgery is equally suitable for teens and adults.

 

Common Congenital Defects

 

• Cagot Ear: Non-existent earlobe

• Cat’s Ear: The edges of the ear are folded forward

• Lop Ear: Sharply inward curved ear

• Scroll Ear: Forward curled ear

 

• Wildermuth’s Ear: The top curve of the ear is reversed

 

• Stahl’s Ear Deformity: Abnormal folding of the ear

• Cleft Earlobe: An indent inside in the earlobe

Sometimes patients of skin cancer or malignant melanoma need ear surgery to remove cancer and subsequently reconstruct the remaining tissue.

 

Surgical Procedure

Otoplasty is performed with the patient under mild general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. If the ears are significantly protuberant, the surgeon may enhance or augment the anti-helical fold inside the ear rim. At the same time, they will reduce the enlarged conchal cavity.

The surgeon will typically make incisions behind the ears to ensure that the scars remain discreet. Some patients may need ear reshaping on the front portion. Even in such cases, the incisions will be placed within the ear folds. The newly-shaped cartilage will subsequently be sutured into a desirable position.

The surgeon will close the incision with external sutures after the procedure is complete. Ear reshaping surgery can create attractive, natural-looking results in the hands of an experienced and qualified cosmetic surgeon. In general, otoplasty results are permanent.

 

Recovery

The recovery period may vary between two patients. This will depend on the extent of the procedure and if one or both ears have undergone surgery. A majority of patients will be able to return to work or resume their normal routine in around one week.

During the first few days after the procedure, the patient may require pain medicines to remain comfortable. The swelling and bruising will reduce significantly from the second week onwards. The surgeon will typically remove external sutures at the time of the initial pre-op appointment at the end of week one.

Dr. Landon D. McLain receives patients from Huntsville, Madison, Florence, Decatur, Scottsboro, Cullman, Athens, Alabama, and nearby areas.

McLain Surgical Arts is a leading cosmetic surgery practice headed by Dr. Landon D. McLain MD, DMD, FACS in Huntsville, AL. Dr. McLain is a double board certified cosmetic and oral & maxillofacial surgeon, offering a variety of procedures such as dental implants, wisdom teeth extraction, breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, facelift, Botox, and laser skin resurfacing. For more information or to schedule a consultation call 256.429.3411 or click here.

Now taking patients from Huntsville, Scottsboro, Decatur, Madison, Athens, Florence, Cullman, AL and surrounding areas.