Children born with ears that stick out from the sides of their heads and/or are abnormally large are often the subjects of unnecessary and cruel teasing by their peers. For this reason, may children, teens, and adults choose to undergo Otoplasty, or Ear Shaping, surgery to reshape/resize the ears to a more typical appearance. It is typically recommended the earlier the procedure is performed the better (children as young as 5 are typically eligible) as the cartilage is more pliable in younger years and also to avoid unnecessary years of bullying. That said, Otoplasty can also be successfully performed on teens and adults.
The Otoplasty procedure is done with an incision behind the ear, which hides any post-surgery scars. It should be noted that Otoplasty does not alter hearing ability. The ear surgery is performed on the outside portion of the ears to provide better proportion of the ears to the size and shape of the head. To find out if Otoplasty may be right for you or your child, the first step is scheduling a consultation with Dr. Kim.