Prominent (“Bat”) ears, a condition known as macrotia, can be a source of great embarrassment for many individuals. If you are interested in correcting this problem for you or your child, you may anticipate natural-looking results with ear surgery under the care of Dr. Jazayeri at Elán Institute for Plastic Surgery.
This cosmetic surgery procedure involves repositioning the ears into a more anatomical position, providing an overall more pleasing facial appearance. One or both ears may protrude in varying degrees, but this is not associated with hearing loss as macrotia is strictly an aesthetic problem. Ear surgery is a highly individualized procedure, and although you may want to prevent stares in public, teasing of you or your child, and to eliminate feelings of self-consciousness and shame, it is important that you do not undergo otoplasty to fulfill someone else’s needs or to achieve perfection.
In order to qualify for otoplasty, you should be:
- Realistic in your goals and expectations
- Healthy without a life-threatening illness and any medical conditions that may impair healing
- A non-smoker
Children, specifically, have their own requirements. If you want your child to undergo ear surgery, he or she must:
- Be at least five years old or have cartilage that is stable enough for correction
- Not have any untreated chronic ear infections
- Be cooperative and follow instructions well
- Have the ability to communicate his or her feelings
- Be comfortable with the idea as well as discussion of surgery