In the 50s there was a TV show called something like “Kids Say the Darnedest Things.” Indeed they do, and often those things aren’t exactly the nicest things.
That’s true especially if a kid has ears that protrude, are misshapen, or situated abnormally on the head.
Otoplasty, commonly known as ear surgery, with Dr. Lavey can fix those ears and stop the teasing.
What is otoplasty?
The most common condition is overly prominent ears, and the most common otoplasty is done to “pin” the ears into a position much closer to the head. This is done through minimally invasive surgery with Dr. Lavey.
Other otoplasty procedures can be more involved, such as when the ears need to be reshaped to a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
When to have the surgery
If you think about how phrases such as “Dumbo ears” or “satellite dish ears” and how much those phrases can hurt your child’s self-esteem, it’s in his or her best interest to have the ears pinned earlier than later.
There are a variety of reasons for this. Having the surgery effectively preempts bullying and teasing. Second, it’s much easier for younger children to go through otoplasty with less stress and fear than is the case with older children. And, finally, the ears of children are much easier to work with during their earlier years than later on due to the higher flexibility of the ear cartilage, coupled with faster recovery times.
What is the right age? A great time to do it is before the child enters at least elementary school. Kids as young as four years old can have otoplasty.
How does Dr. Lavey perform otoplasty?
Dr. Lavey creates an incision behind the ear to gain access to the cartilage. Once the cut is made, the ear cartilage is then recontoured while excess skin in the area is removed. After the ear has been repositioned much closer to the head, the incision is closed with dissolvable stitches.
Does your son or daughter have ears that need pinning? Call Dr. Lavey at 925-820-3633 and let’s take a look.
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