Illinois/Chicago Area Plastic Surgery Procedures:
Ear Shaping (Otoplasty)

Chicago area children who are born with prominent ears that "stick out" too much, or are irregularly shaped in general, may be candidates for ear reshaping, or "otoplasty". As stated in one of the plastic surgery texts, "playmates may invoke names from an ample inventory of cartoon characters and animal species to undermine the child's confidence" (Furnas), and therefore normalization of these irregularities can help prevent years of ridicule at a developmentally sensitive time.

Otoplasty is often performed under general anesthesia as an overnight procedure. Incisions are usually hidden on the back side of the ear, through which excessive cartilage can be excised, folds can be formed by specialized permanent sutures, and/or the "bowl" of the ear can be "pinned back" to the scalp. The patient usually wears a compressive dressing for several days, and then a headband (esp. at night) for several weeks, as necessary.

Case #1: 24 year-old Chicago-area man who had bilateral otoplasty; approximately 2 months post-op.

Case #2: 62 year old Chicago-area woman who had bilateral otoplasty (left ear more prominent); approximately 4 months post-op.

We also perform other procedures on the ears, including drainage of blood or fluid collections from shear forces (i.e. "wrestler's ear"), repair of split earlobes from earring trauma, or wedge excision of malignant skin lesions with complex repair or reconstruction.

For more information on otoplasty, please see the American Society of Plastic Surgery website.

Contact our office today to schedule your private consultation. We encourage you to click here for your printable certificate good for $50 off your surgical consultation.

(Link reference used with permission from the ASPS; our approach to certain problems may differ from those described by the ASPS.)