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Will Your Ears Be Smaller After Ear Pinning Surgery?

By: Austin-Weston

8/25/2020

If you've ever felt self-conscious or been teased about the appearance of your ears, you know just how frustrating and miserable it can be. Having ears that stick out is something entirely out of your control, yet it can affect your entire appearance and wreak havoc on your overall quality of life. The compassionate team of plastic surgeons at Austin-Weston, The Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Northern Virginia has helped countless men, women, and children correct protruding ears and achieve a more natural, appealing look through ear pinning surgery. If you are tired of feeling embarrassed about your ears, learn more about the life-changing benefits of ear pinning here, including what results may be possible for you.

Why do my ears stick out?

If you have large, prominent, or protruding ears, you may have experienced anxiety or even teasing and bullying throughout the years. This is unfortunate, but for many people, it is a reality. In particular, parents with children whose ears stick out often wonder what causes the condition and if they could have prevented it somehow. In the vast majority of cases, overly large or prominent ears are simply something that a child is born with and can have something to do with her or her genetics or heredity. Technically speaking, an underdeveloped antihelical fold or an abundance of cartilage in the concha – two important structures of the ear – are usually to blame for protruding ears. In other cases, ears can be misshapen or asymmetrical due to trauma, congenital abnormality, position in the womb, and other factors.

Can you make ears smaller with surgery?

For patients with large or unshapely ears, cosmetic surgery offers the life-changing opportunity to achieve a more appealing look with virtually permanent results. In addition to simply resizing the ears, the exceptional plastic surgeons at Austin-Weston are able to sculpt an entirely new ear shape, bring the ears closer to the head, and correct other concerns through ear pinning surgery in Reston, VA.

What is ear pinning?

Formally known as otoplasty, ear pinning is an advanced and complex procedure performed for the purpose of altering the size, shape, position, angle, and other attributes of one or both ears. Otoplasty may involve one or more of the following techniques as part of a comprehensive surgical plan to help patients achieve a natural-looking and appealing overall look:

  • Cartilage removal
  • Building up cartilage
  • Skin removal
  • Internal and/or external sutures

When is the best time for ear pinning?

Ear pinning surgery can be performed at virtually any age, though most parents choose to have their child's ears pinned before they begin elementary school in order to avoid teasing and bullying that often occurs. During adulthood, otoplasty candidates should be in good health, not smoke, and have no contraindications to surgery or anesthesia in order to be considered for the surgery.

Can you fix ears that stick out without surgery?

In most cases, the only effective, long-lasting, safe, and appropriate solution for protruding ears is surgical intervention. If ear protrusion or deformity is detected in infancy, it may be able to be corrected with splints that are worn 24/7 for several weeks or months.

How long does ear pinning last?

Patients who undergo ear pinning surgery should expect some level of discomfort, swelling, and other symptoms for a few days or weeks after the procedure, though these are typically mild and can be managed with medications and other recommendations from your surgeon. There should be an improvement in the appearance of your ears after surgery, with the final results continuing to develop over the course of several months.

Once patients have fully healed and recovered, the results of ear pinning can be enjoyed for many years, if not indefinitely. Parents considering ear pinning for children should keep in mind that the child's ears will continue to grow and change over time and that a revision may be desired at some point. However, for the most part, successful ear pinning can last patients a lifetime.

Regain your confidence with ear pinning in Northern Virginia

If you are tired of never being able to wear your hair up, hiding underneath hats, or having to comfort your child after teasing, it may be time to consider ear pinning surgery. Call the compassionate and understanding team at Austin-Weston, The Center for Cosmetic Surgery today to schedule your private consultation with one of our renowned plastic surgeons, and take the first step toward finally living your life with comfort, confidence, and freedom!

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