Otoplasty Cape Cod and Boston

Otoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to cosmetically enhance the appearance of one’s ears, usually by pinning them closer to the head. Patients who are candidates for this surgery have one or both ears protruding. This surgery can greatly improve the overall facial appearance of patients.

For children who have protruding ears, the teasing and ridicule can be very painful. For this reason, it is very acceptable to perform this surgery on children as young as 5 years of age.

In adults, otoplasty is performed under general anesthesia (so you’re asleep). The surgery is done in a hospital as an outpatient (you go home the same day). It usually takes about 2 hours; less if only one ear is operated on.

Post-operatively, there is relatively little pain, although the ear(s) look red and swollen the day after surgery. After surgery, a protective dressing remains in place until the patient is seen by Dr. Loffredo or Dr. Jones the next day. Our surgeons will then put another dressing on for an additional 3 days. At that point, the patient will transition into a headband that will be worn continuously for 2 weeks. The patient will then wear the headband just while sleeping for an additional 2 weeks. The patient will be able to wash his/her hair when the 2nd dressing is removed (at post-operative day 4). At that point, the patient will be able to wash his/her hair on a regular basis. The headband can be removed for shampooing.

Depending on ones job, you can usually return to work/school in 7 to 10 days. Patients can start with light exercising at two weeks and can resume full exercise program by six weeks.

Ideally, otoplasty is performed just before kindergarten, but it can be done at any age after that. Otoplasty, when done for purely cosmetic reasons, is not covered by insurance.