Generally, we do not consider our ears to play a significant role in our appearance. Seldom judged, they remain insignificant unless they are unappealing, protruding or big. If your ears are prominent and look abnormal, they may blemish your entire look, casting a shadow on your overall pleasant appearance.
Ear surgery, also known as otoplasty, can improve the shape, look, or position of the ear whether it is to correct a defect in the ear structure, treat an ear injury that has effected the shape, or simply for aesthetic reasons.
What Is Otoplasty?
Otoplasty is‘Ear Cosmetic Surgery’ and has become fairly common in both adults and children. It is performed to change the position and shape of the ears. In other words, it makes your ears appear less protruding. It has various types – but the most common procedure is shaping your ears, placing them as close to your skull as possible.
Like any other surgical processes, it has risks – especially for children. Many parents are reluctant to allow their children to undergo such facial surgery considering the pain, infections and symmetry problems.
If you or your child has disproportionately large ears – which make you feel embarrassed, otoplasty can be a solid permanent cosmetic solution. However, before you make the decision of undergoing this procedure, it is essential that you weigh its pros and cons to determine whether it is worth it or not.
Pros of Otoplasty
- Otoplasty is not different from any other reconstructive cosmetic surgery. The aim here is to enhance your facial appearance. If your ears are large and appear too far from your skull, the surgery can help reshape your ears and make them more proportionate.
- Being bullied or teased because of the shape of your ears is not only common but also emotionally discouraging for both a child’s and an adult’s self-esteem. Bullying can be significant factor behind disliking your own ears. This ear cosmetic surgery will help you and your child retrieve that lost confidence.
- The surgery can restore the original shape of ear if it was injured during an accident
- The surgery can help treat different types of defects in ear structure
- The results are long-lasting while the surgery requires very little time, usually complete within a couple of hours.
Cons of Otoplasty
- Otoplasty involves complications like bleeding, cartilage infection, skin infection and prolonged pain.
- The cosmetic surgery sometimes takes an extended healing time, especially for scars to fade away or if the patient has health problems such as diabetes.
- There have been otoplasty cases where patients experienced permanent numbness of the face and ears.
- The surgery majorly depends on the efforts and skills of the primary physician. If your chosen plastic surgeon is not professional and competent, you may face perilous side effects after surgery.
- Although the ear cosmetic surgery is permanent, there is 40 percent chance of a possible relapse.
Bottom Line
In conclusion, the idea of otoplasty sounds nice and appealing and has many pros, but it is essential to consider associated cons and side effects with it. It is a surgical process and entails the risk of bleeding, pain, and infections that may turn into big concerns. Thus, make sure that you evaluate the procedures, recovery process and possible outcomes of the surgery by discussing them with your cosmetic surgeon.