Otoplasty Dallas
If you have large, abnormally shaped or protruding ears, you may be a candidate for otoplasty. Charles A. Wallace, M.D. is a board-certified plastic surgeon, who performs otoplasty on people living in and around Plano and Frisco, TX, who are very self-conscious about their ears.
What is Otoplasty?
Otoplasty, or ear surgery, is a cosmetic procedure performed to reshape ears, reduce the size of large ears or re-proportion the ears. Many of these issues are present at birth and tend to come with a negative stigma with young children. It is important to wait until the ears are fully formed before otoplasty is performed. Otoplasty is also an option for ears misshaped by injury.
The Art of Natural Looking Face with Otoplasty
Because otoplasty often involves reshaping an ear, you need to work with a plastic surgeon that has an artistic element to his procedures and can redesign your ears in a very natural manner. Dr. Wallace is very detailed in his work and spends the necessary time reshaping your ears, so they look natural. He knows that the ears are one of the first features people notice when meeting or talking with someone and wants patients to feel confident about their new look.
For patients interested in reducing the size of their earlobes, Dr. Wallace does this by removing excess skin and cartilage in the earlobe and most often under local anesthesia. The earlobes are sutured internally and externally with the procedure taking under two hours.
Benefits of Otoplasty
Otoplasty is a very meticulous procedure for people who want to improve their appearance and benefits them by:
- Repositioning ears into their correct positions
- Being an easy procedure for children
- Helping restore a positive self-image
- Eliminating teasing at school
Is Otoplasty Right for Me?
Otoplasty may be the right procedure for you if you have misshaped or protruding ears or if your ears are not positioned as they should be. Additionally, if you have endured endless teasing from friends and family to the point that you are very self-conscious about them, you may be a candidate for ear surgery.
Elements of Otoplasty
Otoplasty is most often performed on children but benefits adults just as well. Depending on the reason for the procedure, it involves an incision to remove or reshape cartilage in the ears. For protruding ears, Dr. Wallace makes an incision behind the ear, creates a natural fold inside the rim and removes cartilage that may create the protrusion. With ear surgery procedures where the incision is made in the front of the ears, the incision is made in the folds so that it is not visible.
Following the procedure, incisions are stitched up internally with dissolvable stitches and then externally which are removed after a week or so of healing. Ear surgery procedures typically take about two hours and is performed under general or local anesthesia.
How Much Does an Otoplasty Cost?
Otoplasty varies in cost depending on the objective of the procedure, the extent to achieve that goal and if there are any other procedures done at the same time. Depending on the purpose, insurance may cover some of the cost involved if it is a reconstructive procedure that is medically necessary. If it is considered cosmetic, insurance companies do not tend to cover any of the expenses. For your convenience, we accept cash, check, Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express® and Discover®. We also offer financing options with Prosper® Healthcare Lending.
After Your Otoplasty
With most otoplasty procedures, the results are immediate but are typically accompanied by some swelling. Recovery may involve some slight pain and discomfort, which is easily remedied with pain medication prescribed by Dr. Taylor. The ears are bandaged and wrapped for the first few days to support and keep the ears in place for the initial healing. It is imperative that these stay in place all the time to prevent any issues from arising even though there may be some itching and discomfort.
For the first few days, it is recommended to keep your head elevated when sleeping and keep from bending forward or lifting heavy items. After a week, the outer stitches are removed, and normal activities may be resumed.
Getting Back to Normal Following Otoplasty
Otoplasty is an outpatient procedure so you can go home the same day although you need someone with you for the first 24 hours because of the anesthesia during the procedure. It may take up to six weeks to heal, so extreme care should be taken to protect the ears from any trauma.
If you live in Plano, Frisco or anywhere in Dallas, TX, and are very self-conscious about protruding, misshaped or uneven ears, you may want to consider otoplasty by Charles A. Wallace, M.D. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
