Ear Surgery in Westchester County, NY

Otoplasty, also known as ear surgery, is a procedure that addresses excessively large ears or ears that possess deformities due to birth defects or injury. Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Michael Suzman, at WESTMED Group in Westchester County, NY or Greenwich, CT, uses a number of surgical techniques to reconstruct and reshape the ears, seeking to restore their appearance according to the patient's needs. This is a procedure typically performed on children to remedy deformities at a young age, though they must be at least 5 years of age to receive treatment. A popular technique employed to restore the appearance of the ears is the pinning technique that brings the ears back in order to help reshape them and reduce their size. 

The hole of a pierced ear can become stretched, elongated, or split as a result of wearing large, hanging earrings or accidents involving the tearing of the earlobe. Dr. Suzman performs earlobe surgery procedures often to repair damaged skin on the earlobe following a consult at WESTMED Group's Westchester County, NY office. The procedure is a simple office-based procedure that will be done under local anesthesia. Treatment will normally take approximately 30 minutes. A week later, sutures are removed and re-piercing can be done in 6 – 8 weeks. Patients will be left with natural-looking earlobes following surgery.

Otoplasty patients should be at least 5 years old and have one of the following concerns:

• Ears that protrude or stick out from the head
• Ears that are misshapen from a trauma or congenital defect
• Ears that are disproportionately large or small compared to the head

Otoplasty reshapes the ears by making small incisions behind the ear to expose the cartilage. The cartilage is then removed and reshaped until the ear reaches the desired size and shape. Any excess skin is removed from the ear and in some cases, the ears will be repositioned closer to the head. The technique to treat protrusion (ears that stick out from the head) is commonly referred to as the "pinning back" of the ears. The overall goal of otoplasty is to give patients natural-looking ears and to restore their self-confidence.

Patients can expect swelling and bruising after undergoing otoplasty. However, this will usually subside after the first couple of weeks of recovery. An elastic headband is worn for the first several weeks after surgery to keep the ears in their new position and patients are advised to avoid strenuous work for approximately 1 – 2 months after their surgery. Children who have otoplasty will need to be closely monitored throughout the healing process, so they do not compromise the healing of their ears or cause agitation by rubbing and scratching.

Otoplasty can help patients, especially children, enjoy the way they look and restore their confidence and happiness. Having misshapen or excessively large ears can cause unwanted attention and teasing that can affect self esteem. We encourage anyone who is looking into otoplasty for themselves or their child to schedule a consultation. It is our goal to help you feel good about your appearance.