April 16, 2016 | 3 minute read
Facial plastic surgery can have a transformative effect on a person’s self-esteem and quality of life, whether he or she makes a minor alteration to his or her nose via rhinoplasty or takes years off his or her face through full face lift surgery. However, few plastic surgery procedures, facial or otherwise, can elevate a person’s self-image quite like otoplasty, or ear pinning surgery. At the San Francisco, CA plastic surgery practice of Dr. Kimberly Henry, ear pinning surgery is one of the few procedures that can be performed on patients of all ages, including children, and it can help those with protruding or disproportionately large ears avoid teasing, embarrassment, and self-consciousness.
As with every procedure she performs, Dr. Kimberly Henry combines both surgical skill and an artistic eye to produce exceptionally natural-looking results for her otoplasty patients. Patients emerge from surgery with ears that look perfectly proportional to their facial features and their heads.
If you would like to find out whether you or your child is a good candidate for otoplasty, or ear pinning surgery, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with acclaimed plastic surgeon Kimberly Henry today.
How Is Ear Pinning Surgery Performed?
Dr. Henry can perform ear pinning surgery using one of two possible techniques depending on how far the patient’s ears protrude from his or her head and the degree of correction desired.
The first of these techniques involves the placement of incisions in discreet locations behind the ears, through which cartilage is removed or repositioned. A small segment of skin is removed from the back side of the ear, and the skin is sutured closed in such a manner that the remodeled cartilage is held in place and the ear is moved closer to the head. The procedure is extremely safe, and any resulting scars are not easily seen, especially among patients who wear their hair longer.
Dr. Henry can also perform a minimally invasive variation of the procedure in which no removal of cartilage is required and no incisions are made in the ear. Using this technique, she uses stitches to move the ears closer to the head.
Who Is a Suitable Candidate for Ear Pinning Surgery?
As stated above, ear pinning surgery is one of the few forms of cosmetic plastic surgery that is appropriate for children. In fact, the procedure is commonly performed on children as young as four years old, the age at which the ears generally stop growing.
Given that age is not a restriction, most patients with protruding ears are good candidates for ear pinning surgery. Patients must also:
- Not have severe ear defects that would preclude them from undergoing a strictly cosmetic procedure
- Be sufficiently healthy to undergo a surgical procedure
- Have reasonable expectations of the surgery
- Understand the risks associated with the surgery
- Be willing to follow all post-surgical instructions provided to them by Dr. Henry to the letter
Learn More about Ear Pinning Surgery
To learn more about ear pinning surgery, please contact the plastic surgery practice of Dr. Kimberly Henry today.
