Many of us have a memory of someone from our childhood who had their ears ‘pinned back’. Ten to fifteen years ago it was most common for young girls and boys to undergo this procedure in order to avoid insecurities and bullying caused by having ‘sticky-out’ ears.
Nowadays, prominent or asymmetrical ears affects approximately 1% of the population in the UK. Modern advancements in surgical techniques and anaesthesia have revolutionised the procedure to correct prominent ears meaning it has become more popular and more routine with less adverse risks associated with it. It has become a sought-after elective surgical procedure for both adult men and women who have lived their whole lives with prominent ears that have resulted in a loss of confidence or lifelong insecurities.
A procedure for adults?
Surgery to correct prominent ears is commonly known as Pinnaplasty or Otoplasty. The procedure can be performed for adults under twilight sedation as a day case procedure. It is a safe, straightforward and highly effective procedure. Choosing to have your pinnaplasty under twilight anaesthesia means you do not need to undergo a full general anaesthetic which can lead to an overnight stay at hospital thus a significant increase in the total cost of the procedure. During the surgery, the surgeon will expose the cartilage behind the ear and contour it to the desired outcome whilst bringing it closer to the head in order to correct any prominence. Surgery normally lasts between 1-2 hours and you will be ready to go home 1-2 hours after surgery.
What to expect after surgery.
Pinnaplasty surgery requires you to wear a headband for one week after surgery. You will also need to avoid taking part in sports or high-intensity activities for two to three weeks. You will have a discreet scar behind your ear which will fade to be almost completely unnoticeable over time.
As with all elective surgery, in order to get the best results you must ensure that your surgeon is GMC Specialist Registered and has sufficient experience in ear correction surgery. Pinnaplasty is available at FACEmed, for more information, click here.
