Plastic surgery is rarely performed on children for a number of reasons, including safety concerns and the age of the patient. There is one cosmetic procedure, however, that plastic surgeons prefer to perform on children whenever possible. This procedure is otoplasty, or cosmetic ear surgery. Otoplasty involves changing the shape and size of the ear by changing the shape and size of the cartilage. It is used as a surgical treatment for children and adults who have prominent ears.
How Prominent Ears are Caused
Prominent ears begin to appear in children at a very early age. It refers to ears that are overly large or ears that stick out too far from the sides of the head. Overly large ears are most often caused by an excess of cartilage in the conchal bowl, which is the rounded area between the top of the ear and the ear lobe. Too much cartilage causes the bowl to be overly large, which in turn makes the ears look overly large. Ears that stick out too far from the head are caused by an excess of cartilage behind the ear at the spot where the ear joins with the scalp. The extra cartilage causes the ears to bend towards the front, making them stick outward from the head.
How Otoplasty Helps
Otoplasty basically involves removing the extra cartilage that causes the prominent ears, whether the cartilage is located behind the ear or in the conchal bowl. If the excess cartilage is behind the ear, it can be removed through an incision near the spot where the ear meets the head. Once the cartilage is trimmed down, the ear can be pinned back with internal sutures that keep the remaining cartilage together. If the excess cartilage is in the conchal bowl, an incision on the back of the bowl will give the surgeon access. The remaining cartilage can be reshaped around the bowl and even the top portion of the ear.
Why Otoplasty Works for Children
One of the main reasons that plastic surgeons prefer to do otoplasty surgery on patients while they are children is that they have an opportunity to address the problem early. Adults who have suffered from prominent ears since childhood struggle with insecurities about their appearance. They often try to hide their ears by wearing their hair long and putting it up as little as possible. They also tend to be the object of bullying and mean nicknames related to their ears.
By surgically changing the appearance of a patient’s ears while they are children, surgeons can help their patients avoid years of abuse and insecurities. Patients can be as young as five years old for the surgery, which allows the problem to be corrected before they even start school.
Otoplasty Also Works for Adults
Cartilage never stops growing, which means that prominent ears can become an even bigger concern for adults. Even if an adult doesn’t have overly large ears or protruding ears as a child, the cartilage can cause ears to look larger over time, especially for men. Otoplasty can cosmetically alter the appearance of ears for adults as well as children so they are less noticeable.
Otoplasty Surgery in South Florida
Whether you are an adult or a child who suffers from prominent ears, look no further than Dr. Andres Bustillo. Dr. Bustillo is a board certified facial plastic surgeon with over ten years of experience treating children and adults with prominent ears. In fact, Dr. Bustillo travels to other countries every year specifically to help children who suffer from facial deformities. Dr. Bustillo is known for producing natural-looking results and is committed to helping you put your best face forward.
You can contact Dr. Bustillo at his private practice in South Florida by calling (305) 663-3380 or by sending your personal information through his website Contact page.