Your Guide to Recovery After Ear Surgery

Ear surgery, also known as otoplasty or sometimes as 'ear pinning,' is a cosmetic procedure that can reshape and reposition the ears. Innumerable individuals are unhappy with their appearance, and the ears are a common complaint. Whether it’s the size, shape, position, or other aspects, auricular issues are a common cause for cosmetic intervention. And our expert team, led by cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angelo Cuzalina, is here to offer you aesthetic results and a confidence boost in Tulsa, OK. Just reach out to us at Tulsa Surgical Arts to learn more.

What are the advantages of ear surgery?

First, you’ll receive a custom treatment plan – no two patients are the same, and no two treatment plans should be. Every otoplasty procedure we perform is personalized, based on your needs and physiology, so that you can benefit from the most proportional, tailor-made aesthetic results possible. And our cutting-edge technologies and well-practiced techniques are devised to give you improved aesthetics and confidence-boosting results while minimizing risks and truncating recovery timelines.

Otoplasty can be performed on patients of all ages, given that the ears have fully matured. It is a common procedure for children (older than six) and can provide lifelong confidence-boosting results for those who feel self-conscious about the position, size, shape, or overall appearance of their ears. Whether one’s concern stems from aesthetic considerations, past injuries, or congenital issues, the procedure is simple. After applying anesthesia (general or IV sedation), we remove or alter existing ear cartilage and reposition them to give you a transformed new look. Dr. Cuzalina uses all dissolvable sutures to both reposition the cartilage as well as close the small hidden skin incision behind the ear in most cases.

A wonderful advantage of otoplasty is that it’s discreet and does not yield visible, unseemly scars that would detract from your confidence-boosting cosmetic results. We leverage the physiology of the ear to hide any signs from the surgery behind the natural creases or folds of the ear. Therefore, you can rest assured that no one may be the wiser and that you can enjoy your new look without visible scar worries.

How to enjoy optimal recovery after otoplasty

Even though your results are achieved using state-of-the-art technologies and clinically proven techniques, you can expect to experience some discomfort after ear surgery. Yet, despite any potential discomfort, it’s vital that you do not remove or disturb your bandages. And since rest is paramount to recovery, you should also avoid activities or other things that may overtax the affected area. For example, sporting activities that might easily traumatize the ear, such as wrestling or boxing, should be avoided for six weeks. Whereas, less aggressive activities like elliptical machines or weight lifting can likely be resumed after only one week.

It’s best to avoid most any strenuous exercise the first week, as this could exert undue stress on the incision and surgical site. Any abrasion or excessive motion can also create complications or undo your results. Dr. Cuzalina will give you a specific comfortable head wrap to use while sleeping the first week to help avoid trauma to your ears while you are asleep. Most patients can go without any head wrap starting the day after surgery. Most patients look very nice the day after surgery, with only minor swelling and bruising expected.

As always, you’ll benefit from our experience and detail-attentive care. We’ll provide you with more specific aftercare instructions and go over any questions or concerns you may have when we see you in our Tulsa office.

Find out more about ear reshaping surgery in Tulsa, OK

Otoplasty can provide dramatic, life-improving results for many people who feel self-conscious about their ears. Whether the ears protrude, are misshapen, abnormally sized, or have experienced injury or congenital issues, our cosmetic specialists and Dr. Angelo Cuzalina are excited to offer you the many benefits of otoplasty in Tulsa, OK. To learn more, don’t hesitate to call or message us today at Tulsa Surgical Arts.