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What Is Ear Surgery?

The ears play a vital role in creating harmony among the facial features. A beautiful smile and engaging eyes can be overlooked if the ears protrude too far from the head. Ear surgery (otoplasty) is performed to address imperfections and abnormalities in the ears’ projection, size, and shape. During surgery, the ear cartilage is refined, and the ears are pinned closer to the scalp. The procedure is purely aesthetic and does not affect hearing in any way.

What Are the Benefits of Otoplasty?

  • Creates more proportionate, balanced ears
  • Improves harmony among the features
  • Enhances self-confidence
  • Reshapes the earlobes
  • Resculpts the ear cartilage
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Who Is a Good Candidate?

Ideal candidates for an ear surgery in New Jersey may be struggling with the following:

  • Overly prominent ears that stick out from the skull
  • Ear contour irregularities due to an accident, injury, illness, or trauma
  • Congenital defects, such as microtia
  • Torn or damaged earlobes
  • Enlarged earlobes
  • Keloid scars on the external ear

As with any surgical procedure, patients should be non-smokers in good mental and physical health with no uncontrolled medical concerns. Additionally, they should have realistic expectations for their results, as discussed in their private consultation.

How Is Ear Plastic Surgery Performed?

For adults and teens, ear surgery can be performed under local anesthesia, often paired with sedation. General anesthesia is preferred for young children, ensuring they have no memory of the procedure and are completely at ease throughout their surgery.

In terms of procedure time, each ear takes approximately 30 minutes to contour — more if complex reconstructive techniques are pursued.

Procedure steps include the following:

  • The treatment areas are carefully marked with a surgical pen
  • Anesthesia is administered
  • Incisions are created inconspicuously
  • The ear tissue and cartilage are reshaped and refined
  • Incisions are closed with fine sutures

What Is the Recovery Like?

An antibiotic ointment is applied to the incisions after surgery, and dressings may be placed as needed. Patients can expect mild swelling, bruising, and tenderness for a week or two.

It is important to avoid scratching, pulling, or otherwise disturbing the ears for several weeks after the procedure. Contact sports and vigorous activities should be postponed for up to 3 weeks.

Dr. Parakh suggests that young children undergo the surgery during the summer or winter breaks so that they have ample time to heal before resuming their school schedules.

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Why Choose Dr. Parakh?

Patients choose Dr. Parakh, MD, FACS because they appreciate her unique combination of skill, artistry, and compassion. Clients are immediately set at ease when they walk through the door, thanks to Dr. Parakh’s personalized approach and inclusive practice atmosphere. After surgery, they encounter nuanced, natural-looking outcomes that exceed expectations for excellence.

Dr. Parakh’s extensive, elite training background make her the ideal choice for delicate facial procedures such as otoplasty. After graduating at the top of her class from one of the best private medical schools in India, Dr. Parakh completed her General Surgery training at the New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital. She was then chosen for a demanding, highly competitive combined Plastic Surgery program at Cornell and Columbia Universities at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Parakh trained at the prestigious Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Hospital for Special Surgery.

Dr. Parakh is certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), meaning that she has undergone extensive training and exhaustive oral and written examinations to prepare her for performing any aesthetic procedure with the highest degree of safety and excellence. She is a Verified Doctor and Top Doctor on RealSelf, and was recognized as one of the Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctors®: 1st Edition and Castle Connolly Top Doctors in the New York Metro Area for 2019, 2020, and 2021.

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Ear Surgery FAQs

What are the risks?

How young can an ear surgery patient be?

What are the risks?

Complications of ear surgery are rare when the procedure is performed by a board-certified, experience plastic surgery such as Dr. Parakh. However, all surgeries come with a few inherent risks. These include bleeding, infection, poor wound healing, scarring, changes in skin sensation, swelling, asymmetry, and blood clots, among others. Dr. Parakh will discuss both the risks and benefits of otoplasty in more detail during your private consultation.

How young can an ear surgery patient be?

Otoplasty can safely be performed on patients as young as 4 or 5 years old. Some parents choose to wait until the child is closer to 7, so that they can actively participate in the decision to undergo surgery. However, one reason to perform ear surgery earlier is so that the child can enter school feeling confident about their appearance and avoid teasing.

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