Recovering from Otoplasty: What You Need to Know

Ear irregularities are a common issue for many and can be the source of low self-esteem and poor performance at school in the case of children.

Otoplasty is the art of correcting the size, shape and position of one or both ears by accessing the cartilage in the ear or pinning the ears back with permanent sutures.

Otoplasty is one of those procedures that make huge differences in the lives of patients who are teased and ridiculed due to the prominence of their ears.

The type of otoplasty procedure that you decide on will depend on your preferences as well as how much of your ears you want to correct. All procedures are day cases though and patients will be able to return home the same day unless they have also chosen to receive additional facial enhancements, which is quite common amongst older patients.

Otoplasty Recovery: A Basic Guide

A reputable clinic will always provide you with exceptional patient care from your consultation, right through to the point where your ears are fully recovered, which is why it’s important to use your consultations to really evaluate your options.

Following your otoplasty procedure, a light dressing will be placed around your head, which will keep your ears protected and in place. Once the dressing has been removed, most patients will be advised to wear a special headband at night so that the ears are protected until they are fully healed.

In the case of incisionless otoplasty, no dressing is necessary and a headband will only need to be worn at night (Here are some details about an incisionless otoplasty procedure and what it entails if you want to consider it instead of surgery).

Otoplasty patients can expect some minor pain and swelling after their procedure but pain medication can be used to alleviate this. If you opt for surgical otoplasty, you should be able to return to work after a week. In the case of incisionless otoplasty, most patients can return to work or school within a day or two.

Regardless of the option you decide on, you will need to avoid heavy lifting and any contact sports that might put your ears in harm’s way.

It’s important to remember that you will more than likely feel quite vulnerable during your recovery period and you should try not to take any unwanted attention or comments to heart. If your child is the one that will be undergoing the procedure, be prepared to offer them extra emotional support during this time.

Overall, ear pinning can provide patients with some life-changing benefits if they’ve been living with large or protruding ears. Otoplasty recovery is mild compared to a lot of other surgical procedures and if you follow your doctor’s specific instructions after your procedure, there’s no reason why you will experience any complications or have an unpleasant experience.

By staying positive and focusing on your desired outcome during your recovery, it will be over before you know it.