What is otoplasty? Who are candidates for otoplasty surgery? Does this procedure have any side effects? How long is the surgery and how is it performed? How long is the surgery and how is it performed?

In medical terms, auto refers to the ear and plastic refers to shaping or repairing. Otoplasty is a surgery during which the surgeon shapes the ear to make it look as desired or close to desired.

People who have normal ears often don’t even notice it, but people who have large or broken ears or even only a small part of the ear are aware of their ears all the time. Children are especially sensitive to ear problems and see it as a serious defect.

Fortunately, the correction of ear deformities is one of the few cosmetic surgeries that can be performed on children even at the age of 5 or 6, but earlobe otoplasty is not performed until the child’s ears have stopped growing and their bodies have not grown enough to be able to It is not recommended to tolerate the ease of this surgery.

Who are candidates for otoplasty surgery?

Among cosmetic surgeries such as rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, temple lift, etc., otoplasty surgery is less common. If the shape of your ear is one of the following, you are a candidate for otoplasty:

• Those who have prominent ears or the so-called side mirror.

• Those who have a sharp protrusion in the upper part of their ear, which is called Stall’s ear.

• Those who have the upper part of their earlobe in the form of a cap or so-called hanging ears.

• Those whose earlobe is completely bent from the top to the middle or have the so-called protruding ear of a baby.

The above form is one of the most common ear deformities, but there are other types, all of which are diagnosed by a specialist doctor, and after the necessary consultations, she will be prepared for otoplasty. In general, people with  , hanging or rabbit, cup, cauliflower, eggshell, macrotia (too big ears) and microtia (too small ears) ears are candidates for this surgery.

What are the benefits of performing otoplasty?

• Positive and permanent change in the shape of the ear
• Can be done with local anesthesia or mild anesthesia
• Less side effects
• Having psychological value in addition to beauty

How to perform the surgery, the length of the recovery period and the necessary care

This surgery takes between 2 and 3 hours and depending on the age and condition of the patient, it can be performed with local anesthesia or general anesthesia. In general, general anesthesia is more recommended for young people.

Earlobe cosmetic surgery or otoplasty is started by making a small incision behind the ear, in line with the natural line of the ear, where the ear connects to the head, and the cut cartilage is bent to reach its desired appearance. In some types of ear cosmetic surgery, the skin of the ear is removed, but the cartilage remains intact and is only slightly bent in place to reduce the ear protrusion.

After shaving the cartilage of the earlobe to the desired shape, the incision is stitched and bandaged to keep the ear in place until the ear is completely healed. In order to achieve a more symmetrical appearance of the ears, even if only one ear has defects and problems, surgery is performed on both ears.

Usually, patients feel completely comfortable one hour after the operation. A few days after the ear surgery, the bandage around the head is replaced with a surgical cover, which remains on the ear for a few weeks after the surgery and until the stitches are removed. Patients who have undergone otoplasty surgery should avoid sleeping on their sides for two weeks after the surgery. Bathing and doing heavy sports   immediately after the operation is prohibited. It should be noted that taking the prescribed medicines on time and eating a lot of food and liquids will speed up your healing process.

About a week after ear cosmetic surgery, most patients will be able to resume their daily activities. After the complete repair and healing of the ears, usually a faint scar remains behind the ear, which fades with the passage of time and cannot be seen due to its position.

Complications of otoplasty surgery

In general, otoplasty does not cause serious side effects, but due to the use of anesthetics, there is a possibility of nausea and dizziness. In general, otoplasty does not cause serious side effects, but due to the use of anesthetics, there is a possibility of nausea and dizziness.