Otoplasty Melbourne

While some people love the look of the ears that they were born with, others are not so lucky. Some people may feel that the ears stick out too far from the head. Even with long hair, this can be difficult to hide. Others may dislike the shape of the ear.

If your ear appearance is a significant concern for you, there’s a surgical procedure that may help. It’s called otoplasty.

Otoplasty procedure

The procedure typically takes one to two hours to complete, although this may vary depending on your specific needs. While local anaesthesia plus sedation is an option, many people prefer general anaesthesia in order to avoid being conscious during the procedure. (In children, general anaesthesia is usually recommended.)

The incision in the skin is made behind the ear. Using specialised techniques, Dr. Ross gradually mobilises the cartilage that forms the structure of the ear. He is then able to reshape the cartilage and position it into a more desirable location (often with the ear closer to the head). Internal sutures are used to keep it in place during healing. Any excess skin behind the ear will also be removed, and then the incision is closed.

Who is a candidate for otoplasty?

This procedure will usually provide good results for those who have ears that are structurally within the range of “normal,” but are unhappy with their appearance. Otoplasty works very well for ears that stick out too far from the head (known as protruding ears). It can also help to alter the overall size or shape of the ears. It is possible to perform otoplasty on just one ear, although it’s more common to perform the procedure on both in order to achieve symmetry.

Children can also be candidates for this procedure, although we recommend waiting until the ears have fully developed. This means that the youngest age for a child to be a candidate for otoplasty is generally about 5 or 6 years. For a child to be a candidate, it’s very important that the desire to change the appearance of the ears originates with the child and not with the parents, and that the child understands the procedure and what will be involved.

For children born with more severely malformed ears, a more complicated procedure (which may involve multiple different surgeries) might be needed to get a good result; depending on the situation, the procedures may also start at a younger age. Please see our paediatric surgery page to learn more.

Healing after otoplasty

The most important factor in healing from otoplasty is to ensure that the ears are not pulled or moved while they are in the healing phase. For this reason, patients need to wear a protective dressing over the ears for the first two weeks. Until six weeks after surgery, ear protection should be worn at night, to avoid accidentally rolling over and disturbing the ears. While patients can go to work or school during the healing process, strenuous sporting activities should be avoided for the first six weeks as well. This is because the changes in blood pressure and blood flow, along with sweating, can affect the healing process; also, many sports create the potential for the ear to be accidentally bumped.

The scars from otoplasty are generally minimal after healing, and they are located behind the ear, where they are very hard to see unless someone is looking closely for them. This makes the procedure very discreet.

Otoplasty Melbourne

Otoplasty is an entirely optional procedure, performed to alter the cosmetic appearance of the ear. If you’re considering this procedure for yourself or your child, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ross in one of our three Melbourne-area locations. After an examination and learning more about your goals, he can discuss the procedure with you, to help you decide whether or not you would like to proceed. Please contact our office if you’d like to book your appointment.