Can Otoplasty Boost My Self-Esteem?

Many people are self-conscious about their ears, and regardless of age, it can lead to low self-esteem, depression, and social isolation. If you’re wearing your hair to cover your ears or are always looking for hoods or hats, ear surgery may provide a solution to protruding, prominent, or misshapen ears.

Brissett Plastic Surgery performs ear pinning and other ear surgery – or otoplasty – to help kids and adults regain their self-esteem in Houston, TX. Double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony E. Brissett has restored the confidence of patients whose ears have cosmetic abnormalities, are disproportional to the face, or stick out further than a patient desires.

Below, we’ll look at the benefits of otoplasty for patients of all ages.

How does ear pinning surgery work?

Otoplasty is typically an outpatient surgery. Depending on the desired results and the extent of the surgery, patients may be put under either general anesthesia or a lighter “twilight” anesthesia to make the process comfortable. Ear pinning surgery is safe for children as young as five years old.

During otoplasty, Dr. Brissett will make incisions in the cartilage and skin of the ears to reshape ears that are misaligned, misshapen, or protruding. You may also have skin removed if your ears are large.

Patients at Brissett Platic Surgery in Houston, TX find that surgery typically takes around two hours, after which the incisions are stitched up. Patients rarely experience visible scarring since incisions are made in the natural crease of the ears.

Aftercare is simple but crucial and comes with minimal discomfort. A dressing is applied over the stitches and remains in place for around two days for adults and five days for children. There may be some tenderness or swelling, but that is often brought on by touching the ears. Children need to be careful not to touch their ears during healing.

How can otoplasty help my (or my child’s) self-esteem?

Children and adults may be teased about ears that seem large or protrude. This can even have severe consequences for socialization and mental health.

Research has found that school-aged children may experience bullying and have their learning interrupted when they face anxiety about their ears. Ear surgery was also found to be beneficial for a bullied child’s health-related quality of life. That’s part of the reason that most ear surgery is done on children and teens.

Otoplasty can help adults and children improve their self-esteem by:

• Resizing the ears

• Repositioning the ears

• Correcting ear deformities

• Ensuring ears are even and symmetrical

• Improving other aesthetic ear issues

Whether ears stick out from the head, are disproportionally large, or are misshapen in some way, patients can visit Brissett Plastic Surgery to discuss their concerns and aesthetic goals.

While many patients experience otoplasty results that last a lifetime, minor revisions may be needed in the years ahead, especially in children whose ears continue to grow.

Get otoplasty in Houston, TX

Brisset Plastic Surgery helps patients and parents in the Houston, TX area who have concerns about the size, shape, or positioning of their ears – or their children’s ears – and want to improve their self-esteem.

To get a personalized assessment of what ear pinning can do for you or a child as young as five years old, schedule a consultation with double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony E. Brissett.