Beauty
Are You Contemplating Ear Reshaping?
Are You Contemplating Ear Reshaping?
Are you unhappy with the appearance of your ears? Do you want to say goodbye to protruding ears for good? Cosmetic surgery can treat this delicate issue by reshaping your ears.
The Surgery
Plastic surgery treats the ear by altering the cartilage; redesigning it into a less protruding shape. This can be carried out by utilizing two techniques;
- Ear Splinting: Soft cartilage is reset and a splint is used to keep the ear in the new position. This technique is commonly used to treat babies under six months old.
- Otoplasty/Pinnaplasty: This method involves pinning back the ears; cartilage is a redesign to create missing folds to make them aesthetically pleasing, and then the whole ear is positioned closer to the head.
There are few risks that are associated with this common procedure and many patients are happy with the results. It is best to talk with your GP as he can answer questions that you have.
Protruding ears do not affect hearing, nor are they painful, but they can cause confidence to reduce in a person, and in worst cases psychological distress. Ears are one of the first body parts to develop to full adult size; this means that protruding ears can be very noticeable in children. This can lead to teasing and bullying at school; parents of children who suffer from this condition often worry about their wellbeing.
If the condition carries on to adulthood practical problems can occur; sufferers may find it difficult to find headgear that fits. This can be dangerous as sufferers may opt not to wear essential protective wear, such as a motorbike helmet.
In some cases protruding ears can be inherited; it can be a quirk that runs in a family, this is not always the case. In most people, the ear sticks out from the head at a 35-degree angle. If this angle is greater; the result is protruding ears.
Protruding ears can also be the results of too much cartilage, or if the ridge of cartilage located towards the top of the ear does not develop the appropriate folds.
NHS
Some Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) refuse to fund Cosmetic Surgery in Birmingham, London, Wales, and throughout the UK, that treats protruding ears purely for vanity reasons. They will normally request psychological evidence that will show that patient ears are causing significant distress. If they are happy with the evidence you supply your treatment will be funded by the NHS.