Is otoplasty right for your child?

otoplasty, or the cosmetic surgery to help reshape misshapen, protruding or uneven ears, is a common procedure undergone by both children and adults. The process is relatively simple. Doctors and surgeons, along with the patients, determine the better placement or size and shape of the ear and help achieve this through surgery.

The fascinating side of this surgery is the fact that the ear has reached adult size usually by age five or six. Once a child reaches that age, their ear shape, size and placement is where it will be permanently. Unlike other facial features, the ears will not continue to grow or change after this point in a child’s life. This makes it an okay time to consider surgery on your child’s ears.

In fact, most plastic surgeons and doctors suggest having the surgery completed when your child is young. The child will be able to physically recover from the surgery relatively quickly, more so then an adult might. Also, the benefits from the surgery like less emotional angst and trauma caused by the ear’s appearance can be appreciated more fully.

At this age, your child has just begun forming relationships and establishing themselves in groups at school. Caring for their ears at a young age, especially if you and your doctor feel that the ear’s size, shape or placement may cause grief, will help further their social learning. They will have fewer obstacles to making friendships. Although it may seem vain to some, having unusually large or protruding ears can severely hamper a child’s outlook on life.

There are a few different styles of otoplasty. One of the most well known surgeries is the common “ear-pinning” surgery. The stitches or sutures holding the ear in place to its desired location mark this surgery. Literally, the ear is pinned to a new spot, in effect training the cartilage. A patient can also undergo surgery to remove unwanted cartilage or reshaping existing cartilage for a more desired look.

If you are concerned about the cost of ear surgery for your child, talk with your surgeon or plastic surgery office about the process of making payments. Often a doctor will want to find ways for you to help your child and will create a step-by-step payment plan for you and your family to follow. Of course, you should be familiar with the cost of the surgery prior to making an appointment for your child. Generally, otoplasty is priced in the range of a few thousand dollars.

Surgery on the ear may not be the perfect solution you and your child are looking for. Surgeons and doctors across the board will tell you that the surgeries do not always create the desired affect. Patients must be prepared to accept that their ears may not be completely reshaped to fit their desires. Talk with your doctor about your concerns.
For others, the risks are worth it and otoplasty is the solution they have been dreaming of for themselves and their child.