Even in adulthood, it is possible that existing changes in the shape of the Auriclepossibly due to a change in the private or professional situation, as disturbing and Psychologically stressful are perceived.
The auricle is fully grown between the ages of 4 and 6. The operation (Otoplasty) is usually carried out between the ages of 5 and 6. The aim is to avoid ridicule and teasing, which are very common when children start school. In addition, the aftercare measures (removal of the dressing and stitches) are already well tolerated at this age.
Of course it is possible to Ear correction (otoplasty) also at any later stage of life.
The approx. 1.5 to 2-hour procedure in our Practice clinic in Frankfurt is generally performed under general anaesthesia for children, and under local anaesthesia for adults on request.
The aim is to reshape the ear cartilage directly under the skin in such a way that an attractive, natural appearance results. It is very important to avoid visible edge formation under the skin at all costs.
Used in the Goethe10 practice clinic a modern technique that is gentle on the tissue and represents a modified suture method. The cartilage to be treated is exposed via a small incision behind the ear, which is no longer visible after the procedure, and thinned out with a high-speed diamond drill in the course of the desired deformation.
The self-dissolving sutures are pulled through the cartilage skin and the desired result is fixed. By the time the stitches dissolve after 2-3 months, the scarring of the cartilage skin has stabilised the result. In conjunction with an inward rotation of the concha and corrections to the lobule, very beautiful, natural results can be achieved. Corrections of the ear without disturbing edges and contractures.
The bandage remains in place for one day. After its removal in our Practice clinic in Frankfurt a protective headband is worn day and night for about a week, then only at night for a further week.
The skin threads are removed after one week.
Postoperative swelling and discolouration are no longer visible after approx. 2 weeks. The final result can be expected after approx. 2-3 months.
Colloquially known as "sail ears" occur when
The technical term for the surgical procedure used to create protruding ears is otopexy. This is also referred to as otoplasty, ear correction or ear pinning.
Protruding ears can be corrected as soon as the cartilage has reached a sufficient size and maturity and is therefore firm enough. This is already the case at the age of four to six years. From this point onwards, prominent ears can generally be surgically repositioned.
Parents usually want to protect their children from teasing and bullying if they notice that they have protruding ears. For this reason, they often consider whether ear pinning should be carried out while the child is still at pre-school.
However, parents should not make decisions over the child's head. Performing an operation on a child who is not suffering is not to be approved of. From a psychological and ethical point of view, it is therefore important to take the child's wishes into account. An ear correction should only be carried out if the child wants the procedure themselves.
As a rule, we use a general anaesthetic, especially for children. Adults can also be operated on under local anaesthetic on request.
Once prominent ears have been created, the result is usually permanent. Only in very few patients do the ears protrude again. The affected patients were then operated on as children and the ears protrude again due to a change in growth. In this case, the ears can be repositioned if desired.
Protruding ears are not a health hazard. They have no medical effects on the body and therefore have no "disease value" in the physical sense. Faulty ears are an aesthetic "problem".
Nevertheless, it should not be underestimated that the psychological burden of protruding ears can be great - especially for children and adolescents. They are often confronted with ridicule, malice, bullying or teasing. For this reason, young patients often suffer greatly from their protruding ears.
Operations of a cosmetic nature are usually classic self-pay services. The situation is different for ear correction: many health insurance companies cover the costs of surgery - but only for schoolchildren up to the age of twelve. Adults generally have to bear the costs of plastic surgery themselves.
The sensitivity to pain is individual for each patient, some feel no pain, others more. It may be advisable to take painkillers after the operation. Some patients also report that they sometimes experience strong feelings of pressure, which usually manifest themselves in the first night after the operation.
The skin incision required to create the ears is hidden behind the respective ear. As a rule, only delicate, inconspicuous scars remain behind the operated ear after the operation. These are barely visible from the outside.
When we create protruding ears, we only change the shape of the ears. The internal structures that are responsible for hearing and process sound and tones are not affected by the operation. For this reason, hearing ability is not altered by ear correction.
You will need to be a little patient: You may only wash your hair again after 7 to 10 days. Please take particular care when washing your hair for the first time after the operation and be careful and gentle. We recommend that you use a gentle shampoo (e.g. baby shampoo) so as not to irritate the surgical wound. It is also important that you use as little water and shampoo as possible on the wound.
In most cases, the wound area is swollen after the operation. After the first dressing change, the ears are usually somewhat thick and reddened. This unsettles many patients. However, don't worry: give your body the time it needs for its natural healing process. It takes around eight weeks (or longer) for the swelling to subside. At this point, the final result of the ear correction can be assessed.
Yes, you can definitely contribute to an optimal surgical procedure. We have a few tips for you:
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