Ear Surgery in Middletown, NJ

Protruding or large ears can be the reason for a lot of teasing and embarrassment for some people. Dr. John Taylor is a Red Bank, NJ, board-certified plastic surgeon who performs otoplasty on patients who want to correct the size of their ears or improve their ear shape and appearance.

What Is Ear Surgery?

Ear surgery, or otoplasty, is a surgical procedure that corrects several ear problems, including reshaping ears, reducing the size of the ears, or bringing the ears closer to the head. Additionally, otoplasty may be done to correct small ears, overly large ears, ears missing their natural folds or very long ear lobes. This is a procedure that is often performed on children as a way to prevent or stop teasing, but is usually not done until school age is reached.

Benefits of Ear Surgery

Ear surgery can improve the appearance, position, and shape of the ears in children, teens, and adults and offers the following benefits:

  • Easy procedure in small children
  • Strengthens self-confidence
  • Prevents teasing especially in children
  • Repositions ears into the correct position

How Is Ear Surgery Performed?

First and foremost, this surgery is performed more often on children, but adults often choose this surgery as well. Depending on the purpose of the ear surgery (otoplasty), an incision is made to remove or reshape cartilage to achieve the goals of the surgery. For protruding ears, incisions are typically made behind the ear to create a natural fold inside the rim of the ear while reducing the cartilage in the concavity of the ear. If the incision is made in the front, it is made in the folds so that it is least visible.

The incisions are stitched internally with dissolvable stitches; external stitches are removed after a week or so of healing. Ear procedures typically take approximately two hours, and may be performed under general or local anesthesia.

Some patients want to reduce the size of their ear lobes which is easily done by removing excess skin and cartilage under local anesthesia. The ear lobes are sutured internally and externally with the procedure taking about the same amount of time.

Preparing for Ear Surgery

Just like with any surgery, some preparation is necessary to ensure that every precaution is taken. Preparing for ear surgery involves the following:

  • Getting an overall health check-up
  • Possibly having blood work done
  • Abstaining from taking any blood-thinning pain relievers such as ibuprofen or aspirin and vitamins to prevent bruising
  • Not smoking for at least two weeks prior to surgery
  • Arranging for transportation to and from the procedure and care for the first 24 hours following the procedure

Make sure to wear a button up shirt to prevent touching or brushing over the ears following the surgery.

Recovery from Ear Surgery

With most otoplasty procedures, the results are immediate but are typically accompanied by some swelling. Recovery may involve some slight discomfort which is easily remedied with pain medication prescribed by Dr. Taylor. The ears are bandaged and wrapped for the first few days to support and keep the ears in place for the initial healing. It is imperative that these stay in place all the time to prevent any issues from arising even though there may be some itching and discomfort. For the first few days, we recommend keeping the head elevated and avoiding any lifting, bending, or other straining. Outer stitches are removed after about a week when most can return to normal activities.

How Much Does Ear Surgery Cost?

The cost of ear surgery varies widely depending on the condition and the extent of the procedure. During your consultation with Dr. Taylor, we can go over the costs as well as our payment options. Because this is considered a cosmetic procedure, health insurance typically does not offer coverage. However, in the event that otoplasty is being done as reconstructive surgery for a congenital defect or trauma, health insurance may offset some of the cost. We are happy to help you determine if your insurance offers any coverage. In addition to cash, checks, and most major credit cards, we offer financing through CareCredit® which can make the procedure more affordable.

Is Ear Surgery Right for Me?

If you have protruding ears, are unhappy with the way they look, or have suffered from trauma or an unsatisfactory ear procedure, otoplasty may be right for you. We can talk with you thoroughly during your consultation to determine if this is the right procedure.

Why Choose Dr. Taylor for Ear Surgery?

Dr. Taylor is very meticulous about his work to ensure patients are very happy with the results. Because the ears involve so much detail to make sure they look natural, he spends more time reshaping the ears to achieve the look that his patients want. After all, the ears are a body feature that people notice very quickly so it is important to make sure they look like they should. He has performed this procedure many times in his years of practice and is very highly recommended.

What to Expect During Your Consultation

During your consultation with Dr. Taylor, he will evaluate your ears to determine the best way to give them the look you want. He will talk with you about why you want ear surgery and what you have in mind for the result. Once that is determined, he will discuss the procedure with you as well as the preparation and recovery and then answer any questions you may have. His goal during the consultation is to make sure you understand everything and have all of your questions answered so that you can make an informed decision.

At Allure Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. John Taylor offers plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures as well as non-invasive advanced skin care treatments to patients in Red Bank, NJ, and the surrounding areas. Contact us to set up your consultation today.

Plastic Surgeon in Middletown, NJ

MEET
DR.
TAYLOR

“In plastic surgery we are called upon to heal not only the human body, but often the soul as well.”

  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
  • Allure Plastic Surgery Center
back to top